He did it for me
by teal-lover
Summary: COMPLETE! Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.
1. Default Chapter

He did it for me

Chapter 1

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

AN: This has nothing to do with my other stories, it is just a quick short that I thought up while I was bored and didn't feel like doing homework. But reviews are still very much wanted and appreciated ;)

Disclaimer: I don't owned Charmed or any of their characters from the show, I'm just borrowing them and get no money from this whatsoever.

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Laughing at his brother's antics, Chris crouched down and prepared to block his sibling. "Wy, what do you think you're doing?"

Wyatt grinned at the younger boy happily while he dribbled the basketball. He loved times like this when they would just enjoy each other's company, all the while laughing, joking, and teasing.

Competition between them had been fierce for as far back as they could both remember. That little bit of sibling rivalry had never let up. But it was always in fun. Being twice blessed, Wyatt had always had more abilities in the power department than Chris. He had soon discovered that his younger brother could consistently beat him in any number of other things. Sports always tended to be one of them.

They seemed to go out of their way to join opposing sports teams, just so that they could play against each other. It was exciting for the two boys so close in age, but difficult for the rest of the family. No one ever knew which team to root for. So the parents and aunts eventually ended up switching places at halftime to cheer on both boys. But at the end of the game when the winning team shook hands with the loosing team, the brothers always came together and complimented the other's moves. Hooking an arm around the other playfully, their teammates often just stared as the two bitter rivals during the game dropped all pretenses and became best friends again.

Piper always marveled at their quick ability to make that transition.

Oh, she had worried about the situation when they were younger. She and Leo had feared that their behavior would escalate into the future that Chris had fought so hard for and died to change.

She soon realized that for all of their battling on the fields, they were inseparable at home. No one ever picked on one without incurring the wrath from the other. When they fought side-by-side, they were a well-oiled machine, complimenting each other's strengths and weaknesses perfectly.

Piper had always attributed it to their wildly different personalities, which seemed to suit their vastly different appearances. Christopher had become the spitting image of his mother-- albeit taller with masculine features. Wyatt on the other hand, had taken after his father. The boys had shared few common traits and seemed to be as different as night and day. Chris, with the calm and level headed temperament, was always a good balance for the over-eager and headstrong Wyatt.

So it was with no surprise that the two often found themselves staring each other down.

Chris shifted on his feet as he taunted his older brother again, "Come on Wy, I'll spot you a few points--or 30, just to make it fair…"

Wyatt raised his eyebrow as he replied, "This ball's gonna' be circling around in the net while you're still too busy mouthing off."

Someone behind Wyatt nudged him as he complained, "Hey Halliwell--quit playin' games with him and shoot the ball!"

Both brothers grinned as they resumed the game.

Less than an hour later, Wyatt bent down panting heavily as his teammate patted him on the back. "It was still a good game, Halliwell. Damn close too. We'll get them next time."

Wyatt nodded as he watched one of his long time friends grab his bag and walk away. He stood up as Chris approached and handed him a bottle of water.

"That was a good game," he commented. "But I told you that you will never beat me. Unless I spot you some points first."

The older of the two rolled his eyes as he responded with a challenge, "Well then, why don't we go and have a little sparring match with Excalibur."

Chris grabbed his bag and shook his head, "No thanks, I feel like staying in the winners circle for a little while longer," his comment earning him a whip from the towel wrapped around his brother's neck. He jumped back playfully as he rubbed his stinging leg, "Ow. You're such a sore loser. But no, really. I have an economics paper due on Thursday that I have to get started on."

Wyatt glanced at him wearily, "You still determined to go through with that crap?"

"It's not _crap,_ Wy. College is important. It'll help to get a good job."

Wyatt scoffed, "I already have a good job. I fight demons. Full time. And I'm damn good at it. What do I need college for."

Chris sighed at the familiar argument and replied sarcastically, "So you can have money to live?"

Grinning sardonically at the annoyed look his brother shot him, "That's what the club is for" he retorted.

Chris shook his head in annoyance but had to laugh. "Mom's never going to give you the club, Wy. You don't know the first thing about running a business."

Wyatt wrapped his arm and around his younger brother as he started to walk, "I figure it out. And if I don't, that's why I have you little brother."

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Later that evening, Chris looked up from his computer as the gleam from Excalibur glinted off his screen. He turned as Wyatt padded through the hallway. "Where are you going with that?" he questioned.

Wyatt replied casually, "Down to the underworld."

"Why? It's not like you need practice, Mr. twice-blessed one."

Leaning on the door frame, he deadpanned, "I know. But it's fun. And since my baby brother is too busy to help me have fun, I have to go and entertain myself."

Chris took his glasses off and stood up, "Well you shouldn't go alone. No one can hear you if you need help down there. Let me go change, I'll come with you."

Wyatt shook his head, "Ill be fine, Christopher. Stop being such a worrier. You're going to go gray like mom." He jumped slightly as he heard her shouting from down the hall, "I heard that!"

Chris laughed at his startled reaction but sat back down, somewhat convinced that the older Halliwell could take care of himself. "Promise me you'll be careful, Wy."

"Aren't I always?" The incredulous look the brown haired teen gave him made him to cease that line of thought. "Well, I will tonight. Just for you. Ok?"

Chris nodded reluctantly, "Fine. But I'm coming to get you with every vanquishing potion we have in the house if you're not back in _one_ hour" he admonished,

Wyatt smiled, "Three."

Chris wasn't giving in, "One!"

Wyatt negotiated a compromise and asked hopefully, "Two?"

Chris reluctantly accepted, as he always did. "Fine. Two hours. But if you're even a minute late…"

Wyatt held up his hands in defense, "I know, I know. You're coming in with the calvary. But you won't need to, because I'll be back before you even start your paper."

Chris turned back to his computer indignantly, "I started it."

Wyatt read over his shoulder aloud, "Hmm. Let's see. _The Rise and Fall of a Post-War Economy, by Christopher P. Halliwell. _You're right, good start kid. Hey, if every word counts toward the length of your essay, maybe you should spell out your middle name."

The brown-haired witch glared at the blonde before he left, "1 hour, 57 minutes left."

As soon as the orbs dissipated, he hit the backspace key and typed in _'Perry'._

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_Down in the underworld…_

Wyatt was enjoying himself thoroughly. He crept up on a large group of demons as he threw an energy ball at several before jumping into the fight. He twisted and ducked, while he slashed his way through the group. He easily vanquished everything in his path.

Soon after, most demons still alive shimmered away to save themselves. The only exception being an identical duo who stood before him confidently. 

Crouching down in a fighting stance, Wyatt's eyes followed with amusement as they circled him predatorily. "Who are you two supposed to be?"

The demon to his left hissed a response, "Surely, you have heard of the brothers that will be the downfall of the Twice-blessed Witch?"

Wyatt laughed at their self-assuredness, "I've heard of many who would like to try, but none who will succeed."

As he swung Excalibur to meet the sword of the two demons, he was mildly surprised by their strength, speed, and agility. They were actually giving him a run for his money. With the exception of his brother, it was a challenge that he hadn't had in quite some time--and he enjoyed the rush.

Keeping track of the time mentally, he noted with disappointment that the two-hour mark had neared much too soon. Sighing, Wyatt decided that it was time to end his newfound game. 

With one quick and upward thrust of Excalibur, he vanquished one demon in a fiery ball of flames. Spinning around quickly, he turned his attention to the remaining demon who was distracted by the screams of the other.

As Wyatt drew his sword closer, the demon's eyes flashed with fury and retorted before shimmering out, "You'll pay for this!"

Wyatt didn't bother to lend chase to the fleeing demon but called after him, "Coward!"

'Oh well. Time to head home.'

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As the two-hour deadline approached, Chris began to get nervous with no sign of his brother. 'But then he's rarely ever on time.' Sprinting up to the attic to get the potions, he prepared to go and find his brother and drag him home, kicking and screaming if necessary. He knew how worked up he could get when fighting.

He picked up a glass and started to put it in his pocket when his older brother orbed in to the other side of the attic. "It's about time!" he yelled.

Wyatt glanced over at him from the corner of his eye as he once again sheathed Excalibur in the stone. "I told you I would be fine. And I bet you didn't even get your pap--" His eyes widened as he saw the demon shimmer in behind his sibling, poised to strike with his sword. "CHRIS!!!" he tried to warn, but he was too late.

Everything happened so fast. He heard the small surprised gasp that escaped his brother's lips before his green eyes closed. There were no last words. No heartfelt and emotional good-byes. The life had fled from his body the instant the cold steel pierced his heart, mere seconds after the blade pierced his flesh. There was nothing but the thump of his body's dead weight collapsing to the floor.

The demon that he had just fought in the underworld taunted him with the bloody sword, "Mine for yours, witch" he snarled.

"NO!!!" Wyatt quickly withdrew Excalibur and charged the demon, intent on mutilating him in the most painful way possible. There was no need to attempt to heal his baby brother. He knew the second it was already too late. He would have known even if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. He immediately felt the loss of the connection he had with the younger Halliwell. But before he could let the grief overcome him, he decided to let the rage out instead.

His father chose that moment to orb in, sensing something amiss with his children.

Ignoring the bloody battle that raged in the center of the room, Leo went to his youngest son sprawled on the floor. He gathered Chris in his lap and desperately tried to heal the boy. He sobbed as the warm yellow glow never came. 

Leo never could heal the dead. He closed his son's partially open eyes and laid him down gently.

Standing up with a calmness he didn't feel, he watched his oldest son drawing out every agonizing swipe of Excalibur into the demon. He was well aware that the blonde haired boy could have killed him with a simple flick of his wrist, but chose not to. His patience wearing thin, he yelled at the boy as he raised his own hands toward the demon, "Move Wyatt!"

The blonde haired witch snarled back at this father, "He's mine!"

The electricity crackled from Leo's fingertips in anticipation of it's target, "THEN DO IT! OR I WILL!"

Not wanting to be denied his revenge, Wyatt quickly took his fathers warning and destroyed the demon that had just murdered his only sibling. 

After it was over, he dropped to the floor next to his brother and grabbed his rapidly cooling hand. 'This wasn't supposed to happen', he thought. He was invincible. The twice-blessed son, born of a Charmed One and an Elder. Nothing could ever touch him. Nothing could ever hurt him. Nothing, except the loss of the one thing that he never thought he'd be without. His baby brother.

For the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do. He quickly stood up and snatched the blanket from the couch.

Leo kneeled next to his youngest as he watched the oldest return and drape a blanket over him, "Wyatt, what are you doing, son?"

Wyatt responded absently, as if it was just now sinking in. "I don't want him to get cold."

Leo closed his eyes at the admission. He knew how close the two were, and he feared for his oldest son's sanity. He tried to be strong for him and took charge, "Wy? Go and get your mother and your aunts." At the blank stare he received, he put his hand on the back of his hair and pulled him closer. "Wy, listen to me. I need you to help me here. Go and find them. Everything is going to be ok. We'll fix this one way or another. Please? Go."

Wyatt reluctantly left to find the rest of his family. He didn't think he could explain to them what happened. 

Leo stroked the silky brown hair as he bent down and whispered to him. "I'm sorry, Chris. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not again. But I promise, I'm not letting you go this time." 

Tbc…

AN: don't worry, in my charmed universe--death rarely has any meaning;) I'd never permanently kill off my favorite half-angel.


	2. He did it for me2

He did it for me

Chapter 2

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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Piper sat back in the family room of one of her closest friend's house. Sipping on a cup of exotic tea, her hands started to shake.

Sheila reached over concerned and steadied her friend's hand, "What's wrong, dear? Are you ok?"

Piper stared into the brown eyes nervously, "I'm just not feeling well all of sudden. I just have this strange, queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach."

Sheila pointed to the heavy rain pounding the outside of the windows, "Well maybe you're just feeling the weather? It is a bit unnerving since we don't really get storms like this in San Francisco."

Piper laughed, "Tell me about it. The last one I can remember this bad was when I became a goddess. And I caused it." She picked up her cup again and tried to focus on the movie.

Moments later, she put her cup down again, as the feeling intensified. "I'm sorry," as she stood up, "I'm really enjoying this little girls night out, but I just can't shake this feeling that something is wrong. And I don't think I'll be able to concentrate on the movie until I go home and make sure everything is ok."

Sheila stood up with her and grabbed her jacket, "Well then why don't I come with you? I'm sure everything is fine, but you're instincts have never let you down before, so let's just be on the safe side."

Piper smiled gratefully, "Thanks. You know it's probably nothing. I probably just left the stove on or something stupid like that. We'll be back here to finish the movie in a few minutes and then I'm going to feel really stupid."

Sheila smiled at her friend and swung open the front door only to be startled backward. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in her oldest godson's appearance.

He was standing on the porch with his hands to his sides, soaking wet from the rain. The fact that he was drenched so thoroughly told her that he had walked instead of orbing, and had most likely been standing outside for a lengthy amount of time. He was shivering under the onslaught as water dripped from every tendril of hair on his head, down his face and into his eyes. But it was his eyes that told her that her friend was correct to be worried. His eyes that were normally so vibrant and mischievous, held nothing but an empty and lost stare.

Sheila reached for him, but Piper sidestepped her and grabbed his face in her hands.

The brown haired witch was shaking with fear nearly as bad as her son, "Wy?"

Wyatt whispered as she stared into his eyes and uttered as much as his voice would allow, "Dad--home…"

Piper dropped her hands and covered her mouth. She knew from his reaction that whatever had happened was bad. He didn't quite look like he was all there, and certainly didn't look like he could take her home. Trying to be strong, she had the presence of mind to ask her friend to look her oldest child as she took off in a dead run toward her house.

Piper's heart was pounding and her legs were shaking so badly, that combined with slippery rain she lost her balance. Landing in the puddle only made her want to loose it further. She wiped the wet strands of dark hair from her eyes as she forced herself to stand. Glancing down the street, the Manor was only a few hundred feet away. 'I can do this', she kept repeating to herself.

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Meanwhile in Hong Kong, Phoebe was frantically trying to reach her family. She tapped her fingers impatiently as she listened, "Damn it, pickup the phone!"

She glared at it and slammed the offending object down angrily as her husband wrapped his arms around her to calm her.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

Phoebe shook him off and paced the floor as she replied, "I had a premonition. Chris is in trouble. And Leo. And Wyatt. And Paige. Aren't answering my calls," her voice got louder, "and DAMNIT EVEN PIPER WON'T ANSWER THE PHONE!"

Jason walked closer and grabbed her arms, "Honey, calm down. I'll go charter the jet right now."

Phoebe was starting to get hysterical, "But it'll take too long. It'll be too late. Damn it, they promised me that if I moved here--they would always come right away when I called! What good is it having _four _whitelighters in the family if you can't reach them in an emergency!"

Jason tried again, "Phoebs, it'll be ok."

Phoebe yelled again, "IT'S NOT OK", looking up at the ceiling, she tried to call for her family, "PAIGE!!! LEO!!! CHRIS!!! WYATT!!! _Somebody _answer me! Please!"

Paige orbed in wearing only a towel, "What's wrong?"

Phoebe crossed the room quickly, "Why didn't you answer me?"

Paige held the towel with one hand while she reached for her sister with the other, "Sorry, I was in the shower. What's wrong?"

Phoebe ignored the question as she commanded, "Manor! Now!!"

Needing no further prompting, Paige orbed her sister to their former residence.

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As soon as Piper reached the steps, she barely even noticed the front door that Wyatt had apparently left open. Barging through, she began frantically calling her husband as she took the steps two at a time, "LEO! LEO!!"

Upstairs, Leo had heard his wife screaming his name and knew he had only seconds to prepare for her reaction. He looked up when he heard her soft moans of denial gradually get louder.

Piper thought she felt her heart stop when she entered the room. Her husband leaned up against the wall holding her baby boy up against his chest. His longish dark hair nearly covering the deep red coloring that spread from his chest. "No. Not again. NOOOO!"

She glided over to them quickly as she reached for her son. Leo shifted and allowed her the small bit of comfort to hold him.

"Leo, heal him!" she ordered.

Leo shook his head sadly, "I can't. He's gone Piper."

Piper pulled her son closer as she stroked his cheek. The coldness she felt told her it had been too long, but she still refused to believe it. She turned a hardened tear-filled stare to her husband, "I said HEAL HIM!"

Leo understood her grief, but felt his own and shouted back, "I CAN'T PIPER! I CAN NOT HEAL THE DEAD! I tried, but I--" his voice trailed off as the orbs formed a few feet away.

Before fully materializing, Phoebe started to speak, "Chris is in dang--" She trailed off and cautiously approached the distraught parents, "Oh no. This isn't happening…I had a premonition--this wasn't supposed to happen…"

Paige remained motionless in the center of the room as she cried silently. The scene before her too eerily familiar to be happening again, which was almost an exact replica of a scene she had tried to forget for the past 19 years. It wasn't fair. Was he always destined to die at a young age? She called out to her family, "This isn't right. Not after everything he's done for the world. We have to fix this. We are gonna' fix this, right guys?"

Tbc…

AN: WOW!! You guys are so awesome for the reviews!!!! So I want to say thank you. And no, if you don't want me to, I suppose I won't leave him that way ;)

Alyssa Halliwell

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DarkGoddessRaven

darcy101

phoebe turner

merope

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IcantthinkofaFnick

CaliforniaChick

nighttime writer

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Stony Angel


	3. He did it for me3

He did it for me

Chapter 3

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: Sorry it took so long to update, but I had finals to study for. But I've been a good little student & I'm nearly done with my last term paper, so I thought I could take a break for a little bit :D

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Sheila stood on the porch and watched as her long time friend ran off hysterically. When the brunette was out of sight, she faced her godson who hadn't yet moved. Looking into his eyes, she couldn't be certain if the moisture that dripped from his lashes were tears or raindrops, but had guessed that it was probably a combination of the two.

Sighing, she called the young man's name repeatedly with no response, nor even an acknowledgement that he had heard her.

Sheila soon gave up on trying to coax Wyatt into the house verbally, and resulted to grabbing his wrist and leading him absently. Once inside, she ran to the closet and pulled down several towels and blankets.

When she returned, he still had not moved from his spot in the middle of the floor, so she wrapped the blanket around him as she guided him to the couch. She questioned him gently, "Wyatt? What happened?"

At the dead stare she received, her fear grew steadily at his uncharacteristically silent behavior. She prodded him a little more insistently as she guided his face to look at her. "Wy? Honey. You've always been able to talk to me, so whatever it is; I'll help you through it. I'm here for you. Please talk to me..."

Her quiet words of encouragement seemed to be enough to entice him from his self-imposed trance. Wyatt blinked several times and seemed to recognize his godmother and long time confidante. He shuffled his hands in his lap before he finally settled them on a loose strand of the terry cloth towel. Absently unraveling the fibers, he finally spoke. "I can't feel him anymore. I've never felt like this before, you know? He was--always there. It was this--strange--I don't know, _warm _feeling I guess. Even when we were little. I used to hate it. Until I figured out that it was kind of comforting. I could do anything. _We _could do anything. But now it's gone. _He's _gone."

Sheila squeezed her eyes shut to stop the growing tears behind them. His seemingly vague admission had finally given her the answer to her question. She knew that he spoke of his relationship with his only brother, and was aware of how close the two were. In all of the years that she had known her eldest godson, he had always seemed the more confident, energetic, and stronger of the two. Something had shaken him to the core, and now she knew what that something was. Her own voice began to crack as she voiced her fears for her youngest godchild. "Chris?" she questioned.

Wyatt only responded stoically, "He's dead."

She grabbed his hand, silently willing him to deny it, "No. That can't be--"

Wyatt snatched his hand back angrily, "WELL IT IS!"

Sheila was startled by his tone as he suddenly jumped up and began to pace the floor. He ran his fingers through his tangled hair and started muttering something incoherent. "Wyatt? What are you talking about?"

He faced her with steel blue eyes as he gritted through clenched teeth, "I said--I'm gonna' kill them! _Each_. And. _Every_ ONE OF THEM! I'm going down to the Underworld…"

Sheila's eyes widened, "You're going after the one's responsible?"

His insane laughter chilled her as Wyatt replied, "Nope. Already dead! I'm going after the others. The _rest _of the Demons. ALL of them! I'm gonna' kill _every _single one I find! And then the ones I don't find--I'm gonna' find them!"

Without another word, he threw the blankets to the floor and began to orb.

Sheila had heard his rant and saw the look in his eyes. And she feared for him. He was loosing it. And his anger would send him careening down the wrong path. One that she knew could only end badly for all involved. She knew from previous descriptions about the Wyatt from the other timeline what an obsessed tyrant he could be. But watching him grown up, she had never thought it possible for such a caring, playful, and energetic young man to be as cold and calculating as they said he was.

Realizing that he needed to be stopped for his own sake, she quickly latched onto the rapidly disappearing orbs and was transported with him to the Underworld.

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Wyatt arrived with an extra weight attached to his leg as he looked down. Pulling the woman up by her arm, he yelled at her, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE! IT'S NOT SAFE!"

Sheila glanced around nervously at her surroundings and pointed over his shoulder at crowd of demons approached. "Behind you!"

Wyatt spun around with a gleam in his eyes as he powered up an energy ball. Hurling it at the group, he grinned as Sheila backed away slightly at the immense flames licking at their feet. Wyatt raised his shield and grabbed her waist to pull her within it.

Hoping to pierce the blue force field while he was distracted, one unfortunate demon got too close but Wyatt sensed her without even turning around. He simply flicked his wrist and incinerated the demon, reducing her to a pile of ashes before she could raise the athame.

The remaining demons quickly assessed their dwindling numbers and decided that he wasn't worth attacking and fled.

The blonde started to follow but Sheila held his arm despite his half-hearted attempts to free himself of her. She pleaded with her godchild, "Wyatt! Please, you have to stop this!"

Wyatt shook his head with disdain, "Why? This is what I was born to do. And it's what I'll die doing. That was Chris' life. Why should mine be any different?"

Sheila was aware that he didn't remember his younger brother coming to the past to save him when he was a toddler. She had guessed that he had never been told either, and didn't know if it was her place to tell him now. When he started to pull away, she quickly made a decision to change that fact if it would get him to listen. "Wait. Please, listen to me! Chris wouldn't want this! All this rage can only lead to one thing--and it's not good. If you continue on this path, everything he did will have meant _nothing._ He gave his life to save your soul once before. You can't just throw that sacrifice away. What you're doing is not going to bring him back…"

Wyatt was confused by her words and questions flew around in his mind. He discarded them momentarily and focussed on the last thing she said. His shield dropped as his vision began to blur. His voice came almost in whisper, "Then what will?"

Sheila felt as if her heart was breaking. At over six feet tall with a large and muscular frame, he dwarfed her by nearly a foot and at least a hundred pounds. But despite his stature, she couldn't help but see how vulnerable he looked with his shoulders sagging in despair. She reached up and tucked a few strands of hair behind his ear as she took his hand with the other. "Can you orb us to my house? I have something I think you should see…"

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ELSEWHERE…..

When Chris woke up, he found himself sitting down and no longer in the attic of his house. He quickly looked down and patted his chest where his heart was. Finding no wounds, he took in his new surroundings with surprise. "Where the hell am I?" he murmured to himself. As he hadn't expected a response, he was again surprised when someone spoke behind him.

"That's a rather _interesting _description."

Chris whirled around to face the voice as he questioned, "Am I dead?"

With crossed arms and a wide smirk the figure replied sarcastically, "Don't you just _hate _when that happens?"

Chris stumbled to get up, "Who are you?"

Tbc…


	4. He did it for me4

He did it for me

Chapter 4

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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Chris stared at the stranger in shock, "I'm dead?"

Sarcastically, "You're a real genius aren't you? You know, you've quite possibly _completely _screwed things up…"

Rising to his feet, Chris pointed to himself defensively, "Me? What did I do? And you didn't answer my question. Who are you?…"

"You died! _THAT'S _what you did! And what about Wyatt? Just what do you think is going to happen now? This is how he lost it before and went all psycho on the world--destroying everything in his path! After everything I did to fix this, you get careless and--"

The rambling voice was interrupted by stronger voice who strolled in angrily, spinning him around, "Stop right there young man! You leave him alone. It's not his fault! Now apologize!"

"But grams--" he whined.

"I don't want to hear it Christopher! It's not his fault, just like it was not yours. Now apologize." The older woman looked at him sternly as she tapped her foot.

The brown-haired, green-eyed witch-whitelighter pouted as he turned to Chris, "Sorry" he mumbled reluctantly.

Grams nodded appreciatively and spoke to him again, "Christopher, dear. Why don't you go and find your Aunt Prue and Grandma Patty--let me handle our newest young arrival. You know how difficult something like this can be. It's going to take some explaining. Now run along dear. I'll find you later…" She shooed him along with her hands as he turned back to glare at the new arrival several times.

The new arrival waited till the other was out of sight before he turned to the familiar woman, "Grams? It's really you?"

Embracing him warmly, she answered "Yes dear. I know it's been awhile since I've seen you, but your mother hadn't summoned me--so I just couldn't show up on my own."

As a frightened voice took over, he asked shyly, "Did I really die? All I remember was a sharp pain in my chest for like, only a second, before I woke up here."

Nodding her head sadly, "Yes, you did. But it's not your fault. It was very unexpected. None of us were even aware of the situation until it was too late."

"How's my family gonna' take this? And what about Wy? And that guy--What did he mean? Who is he? Why does he look like me? Sound like me?"

"You know I was always against not telling you boys about what happened just before you were born, but that really wasn't my decision."

"Tell us what?" he asked in confusion.

"I know this is going to be hard to believe, but that young man you just met is--well, he's you. He is Christopher Perry Halliwell."

Shocked, the young man screamed "HE'S WHAT!"

Penny wrapped her arms around her "other" grandson as she led him down a hallway, "Well it all started almost 15 months before you were born…"

-------------

Phoebe didn't need to ask any questions. It was obvious from her nephews lifeless and limp form that she had arrived much too late. She didn't know what to say, so she walked unsteadily over to her sister currently holding her son. Kneeling behind her, she wrapped her arms around the grieving mother. "I'm so sorry, Piper. I tried to get here in time…"

Leo leaned up against the wall away from the others with his knees drawn up to his chest. "I was too late…"

Paige stood motionless in the center of the floor as she watched on. "We can fix this right? Leo? Please tell me we can fix this…"

Leo glanced up at his youngest sister-in-law through the tears in his own eyes. "I don't know how yet. But I can't go through this again. I CAN NOT loose him again. The Elders…They owe us. They owe him." He stood up determinedly and walked over to his wife, "Piper…"

Piper glanced up then tightened her grip on her son, as if that act in itself would somehow bring him back.

Leo bent down and tried to move her, "Piper, please let me take him up to the others. Maybe they can do something…"

Piper shoved her husband away angrily and screamed at him, "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Phoebe tried to reason with her sister, "Please Piper? Let him take Chris. Maybe they can help. I don't want to loose him either, but the longer we wait, the more chance there will be of no turning back."

Piper shook her head adamantly, "NO! I'm not leaving my son. So do whatever you have to do, but I…Am…Not…Leaving…Him!"

Leo grew angry himself, "DAMN IT, PIPER! You know that they will not let you up there! He doesn't stand a chance if you go! NOW LET GO!"

Phoebe tried another tactic at her sister's unresponsiveness, "Piper? Do you want you son back? Because if you do, then you have to let him go. Just for a little while, honey. Please?"

Piper's body shook with sobs as her sister gradually pried her fingers from Chris's shirt. She cried harder as her eyes fell upon her bloodstained hands.

Leo took the opportunity to lift his youngest son as soon as she relinquished her hold. Before orbing out, he turned to his wife, "We're gonna' get him back, Piper. I promise."

Phoebe sat down and tried her best to comfort her older sister who seemed inconsolable. Paige soon joined the other Charmed Ones, and together, they wept and shared their grief.

���������������������

Back at Sheila's house, Wyatt orbed them both into her living room. As soon as they touched ground, she immediately took his hand and led him to her bedroom. "Sit down," she commanded softly.

While he sat down heavily, she sat down next to him and took his hand. "Do you remember that picture that's on your mom's dresser? The one of you playing with blocks at about two years old?" Wyatt nodded. "I wouldn't normally ask you to do this, but these are not normal circumstances. Can you orb that picture here, right now?"

Wyatt complied and materialized the picture into his hands. He held it out to her unquestioningly as she directed him to look at it. "What am I supposed to be seeing? It's just a picture of me when I was little."

Smiling softly, she walked over to her closet and pulled down a small fire safe box. She reached around her neck and pulled out a chain that contained the key to the box, then opened it for him to see inside.

As Wyatt sifted through the contents, he pulled out a picture frame hiding near the bottom of the box. He was surprised to find the back of the picture labeled with his brother's name. Turning it over, he found the exact same picture as the one he had just removed from his mother's room—with one major difference. His eyes widened questioningly as his head shot up to look at her. "That's Chris! And me. But I'm only a kid. How is this possible?"

Wyatt watched her curiously as she took the picture from him and caressed it lovingly before putting it back into the box. "You know, your mom—wanted to get rid of that, but I insisted on keeping it. So she had Paige cast a spell on the one from her room to remove him from the picture. She didn't want you boys to be burdened with knowing what happened. But under these circumstances, I think it's something you need to know."

Wyatt, "I don't get it Aunt Sheila. What is this? What are they so afraid of? And how can this be Chris?"

Sheila sighed sadly, "Because this Chris was from another timeline. Another possible future. Somehow, in his future—you were led down the wrong path. And he loved you so much, that he wanted to change that for you—to give you the life you deserve. He came back to the past--to save his family. To save you, Wyatt. And that meant _everything _to him."

"Why wouldn't he tell me that he went back?"

Sheila calmly tried to explain, "Because this is not the same Chris that you grew up with. But he still is—was your brother."

Looking confused, he asked, "What do you mean _WAS?"_

Sheila stared at the picture sadly as she traced the outline of his form, "Because he died the same day that _YOUR _Chris was born. He was murdered while trying to save your life."

"Then it is my fault! I killed them both…"

Sheila shook her head emphatically, "No, that's not true. It's not your fault. You are not responsible for this. The only responsibility you have is to continue fighting on the side of good, but not out of anger or revenge. It's not what either of them would have wanted."

Wyatt looked horrified as he mimicked her, "Wait, you said "Down the wrong path"…That's what you meant down there, isn't it? I'm as evil as the demons that killed him?"

"NO! You are not! You are a wonderful person, who is hurting terribly right now. That's not why I'm telling you this. Nobody's blaming you for what happened, Wyatt! Chris knew the risks when he made the choice to come back here. He was willing to sacrifice everything _because _he loved you so much. It was _his _gift to _you_. Don't you see? You have the opportunity to accept the gift he gave you and use it the way it was intended. If you continue down the path of anger and hatred, then you will end up becoming what he came back to prevent. Your brother will have died for nothing."

Wyatt shrank into the bed despondently, "How am I supposed to keep fighting? How can I do this alone?"

At least for now, she knew he had heard all he could tolerate at the moment. He wasn't ready for anymore tonight. As his godmother that he always turned to when he had a problem, she was one of the few people who understood the mental strains that had been placed on him as the "Twice-Blessed" child. So much more was expected of him, but he had always found the comfort of sharing that burden with his younger brother. Sheila watched her godson sinking deeper into depression, and it had only been a few hours. She shuddered to think of what would become of the young man as time went on.

No, she decided. She wouldn't tell him anymore tonight. It was a lot to take in for anyone, but for him doubly so. And it had to have been difficult for him to learn the truth, but she hoped it was enough to hold him back from the edge of insanity—or worse. Evil.

Sheila coaxed him gently under the blankets, "You need to sleep for a while. I'll be here when you wake up. I promise. Now sleep." She reached over to turn off the lamp and saw him struggling to close his eyes. Hoping that it would have the same calming effect as when she babysat him as child, she smoothed his hair back rhythmically as she listened for the telltale signs of his deep, even breathing. As it came, she smiled and watched his reflection in the moonlight. Glinting off the desk in the corner was the picture from the lockbox. Her smile soon faded as she bit her lip, silently debating whether or not to inform him of what lie underneath the decades old photo. 'Oh well,' she thought. 'That's for another day.'

Tbc…


	5. He did it for me5

He did it for me

Chapter 5

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

�#-�#-#�-#�-#�-#�-#�-#�-#-�#

Leo arrived just outside of the Elder's Council carrying the dead weight of his youngest child's body. The boy was heavy and awkward at over six feet, but Leo didn't notice it. In fact, he didn't notice much of anything. It was as if his entire body felt numb inside, so he took careful steps to make sure that he didn't drop his precious cargo.

Through all of the hundreds of times he had made this trip, he had never once been hesitant about their responses inside. No matter what he had come to request of them in the past, he never feared their reactions. Being with the sisters for so long, he knew that whatever the Elders response was, they would always find a way around it anyway. But today was different. He knew the Elder's combined had the power to bring back the dead and was no small feat. The problem was that no single Elder possessed the power to do so. He had guessed that it was a system of checks and balances to ensure that none among them became too powerful. It also served to insure that the Council had all of the power.

He paused before entering, mentally rehearsing what he would say to the other Elders. They hadn't been able to keep him from dating, and finally marrying the woman of his dreams. A powerful witch no less, and a Charmed One at that. They hadn't been able to stop him from producing even more powerful children and raising them together with his wife. In fact, they hadn't really been able to prevent him from doing anything since he became the official Whitelighter to the Charmed Ones. For the first time, the Council had true power over him. While he held his son in his arms, they held his life in their hands.

He took a deep breath as his heart pounded for fear of their reactions and decisions. He mentally prepared to do anything they asked of him if they would only restore his son's life. He would get down on his hands and knees, begging and pleading if he had to. He would do what they, up until this very day, continually harassed him about—leaving his family to become a full time Elder. He was even considering the threat of violence if they refused. After all, "desperate times call for desperate measures" as Piper's grandmother always used to say. Well he was certainly a desperate man at the moment.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, he kicked the door open with his foot as he barged inside and began yelling for their attention.

"What is the meaning of this, Leo? We have not called for you," one of the Elders exclaimed haughtily.

"I need your help," he said holding his son up to their attention, "My son needs your help."

William, one of the younger Elder's that had befriended Leo, spoke up sadly as he gazed down at the young man in his arms. "He is beyond our help, my friend."

Leo wasn't ready to take no for an answer, "Please? This wasn't supposed to happen. He's already suffered enough after Gideon."

The head of the Elder's Council spoke, "There is nothing we can do, Leo." Matthias continued, "However, I am deeply sorry for your loss, brother." Looking around the table to the others for support, "As we all are."

Leo closed his eyes worriedly as he prepared to plead his case. He laid his son on the floor gently so that he could face his peers.

Openly weeping, he rushed to the head of the Council and dropped to his knees painfully. He grabbed onto the flowing robes as he begged them again, "Please, help him. He's done too much good in this world to give up on him now, and he can do so much more. None of us would even be here if it weren't for him. The world would be in utter chaos."

Matthias had heard enough and fumed harshly, "Only because of _YOUR OTHER SON!_"

Leo fired back getting angry as well, "That wouldn't have happened if a "so called _good-being_" hadn't taken it upon himself to try and murder him! Wyatt would have been like he is now—a powerful force and ally of good magic—fighting on our side, alongside his brother. Please, Chris doesn't deserve this. It wasn't meant to be—"

"No! _HE _wasn't meant _TO BE!" _Matthias pointed downward to the pale form lying at this feet. Hearing the murmurs of discord from the surrounding Council members combined with Leo's shocked expression made him soften his tone. "I'm sorry to be so harsh, Leo. But it is the truth. Do not get me wrong—I am in no way condoning what Gideon did to your offspring many years ago, but in some ways, he was indeed correct. A whitelighter—let alone an Elder, was never meant to have a family for this very reason. You have become too emotional. Family has made you weak. These children of yours have removed your objectivity to see the _bigger picture._"

Leo shook his head adamantly, "There is no bigger picture than my family!"

Matthias walked around Leo and pulled him up. Admonishing him firmly, "An Elder should _NEVER_ be reduced to crawling around like an animal. You have lost your _edge, _Leo. These children should never have been born."

Growing suspicious, Leo snarled at him, "You're responsible for this, aren't you?"

All of the Elders were quick to deny the accusation, including Matthias. "ABSOLUTELY NOT! We do not murder children and teenagers! You should have been removed from the company of the Charmed Ones a long time ago. Their rebellious nature has obviously corrupted your sensibilities. Christopher was young, yes, but death is a natural part of life."

Leo's voice raised another notch, "HE WAS MURDERED BY A DEMON! _That is not natural!_"

Matthias grew impatient and replied condescendingly as if he were explaining to a child, "_IT IS_ in the life of a witch."

Leo shook the Elder off as he accused, "And that's perfectly fine with all of you, isn't it? You sit up here all "high and mighty" on your fat asses while every single witch on earth is down there fighting your battles and dying for them!"

"It is the way of the world, brother. We exist only to keep the balance of good and evil, and to protect the witches as we can. But not to reverse what happens naturally. Your in-laws are witches. Your wife is a witch, and therefore your sons are witches. Eventually, they will all die Leo. On the other hand, the life span of a Whitelighter or Elder can be exceedingly long. Unfortunately, that is not the case with witches. You have chosen a life that can lead to nothing but heartbreak and lonely solitude. We tried to make you aware of those facts and tried to dissuade you from marrying her. It is why we persistently try to coax you into breaking your ties with them. It is for your own good."

Throughout Matthias' speech, Leo only heard their refusal for aid. He needed to hear it, confirm it in a clear and concise way. He asked despondently, "Then you won't help me?"

All of the Council shook their heads collectively, while awaiting their Leader to voice the response. Matthias placed his hand on Leo's shoulder in an attempt at a comforting gesture. "I am truly sorry, Leo. But this is beyond---"

Leo shook the Elder off once again and ignored any further comments by the Council. He had his answer from them, and knew that they would not be persuaded by any means. Any further words were meaningless dribble to him.

He again dropped to the floor beside his son as he reached down and scooped him up. Before he turned to walk, he steeled his gaze at the Council and hissed at them, "I'll find another way. Without you! And if any of you so much as lift a finger to try and stop me—you will pay with your lives."

Kicking open the door, he again found himself walking down the long hall away from the Council Chambers to a spot where he could orb home to. Before he left, he heard footsteps rapidly approaching from behind.

"LEO WAIT!"

"What do you want, William? Are you going to help me bring my son back?"

William sighed, "You know I can't do that, Leo. I haven't been an Elder that long, and if I were to go against the Council's decision—they would have my soul recycled faster than I could blink two times."

"Then why are you here?"

William looked down at the boy in his friend's arms, "Because he was a good kid. And he was good for our side." His head darted around to make certain that they were alone and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "And because I think that there may be something bigger here that is going on."

"What do you mean?" Leo asked suspiciously.

"I don't know if they specifically have something to do with it, but I do think they know more than they're letting on. I mean, think about it. There are normally two whitelighters in your house with healing capabilities—you and Wyatt. The way I heard it, Chris died instantly, with no chance for healing. That's kind of strange, don't you think? And where were you when your son was killed?"

Leo's blood suddenly ran cold as he considered the implications, "I was issuing new whitelighter assignments."

William nodded, "Right. And so that _YOUR _current assignments don't get passed on to them, that means that you have to temporarily break the connection—"

Leo finished, "to my current charges. Including my son."

"I think you're starting to see it now. Look, when I found out that Chris was dead, I looked in on what happened. And I wasn't the only one, either. They knew before you even walked in the door."

"So why did they pretend like they didn't know?"

William shook his head in confusion, "I don't know. That's why they have me wondering…If you weren't distracted, you would have been able to sense his agitation that Wyatt hadn't shown up yet, and possibly been there to stop what happened. In fact, I bet if you were to ask your family, they would all have experienced similar occurrences." He started to back away, "Listen, I'd better get back in there before they start to get suspicious. I just told them that I would come out and try to calm you down. But I thought you should know."

Leo smiled at his friend appreciatively, "Thanks, my friend. I hope it helps…"

William bowed slightly, "And I hope you find a way. Good luck, Leo."

Tbc…

AN: Thank you SOOOOOOOOO much for the reviews! Yeah! I was so ecstatic to see them in my inbox. You guys really cheered me up during these rough finals week—because I've been seriously stressed. But, I'm nearly done, so then I can concentrate on finishing my stories & doing some sequels. Hehe. I'm excited, can you tell?


	6. He did it for me6

He did it for me 

Chapter 6

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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Sheila fell asleep curled at the foot of the bed. She began to wake as Wyatt stirred and sat up to be the first thing he saw when he awoke fully. When his eyes opened, he shielded them from the sunlight before he adjusted to the brightness. "How are you feeling?" she asked quietly.

Wyatt inhaled deeply as the memories of the previous night flooded back to him. "Like I just lost my best friend. Who also happens to be my brother. I thought it was just a dream, and that when I woke up, everything would be fine again. But it's never gonna' be fine again. Is it Aunt Sheel? What's gonna' happen now?"

Sheila moved closer to sit next to him, "I don't know exactly what's going to happen next. I can't answer that. But I do know that everything will be ok. Your family always finds a way, don't they?"

"They didn't with Aunt Prue. I never even got the chance to meet her."

"You would have loved her. She was a wonderful person, and fiercely protective of her family. She was a lot like you."

"Well I didn't do so good last night, did I? He didn't even have a chance." He began to get agitated again, "If I ever have kids, is that how it's gonna' be for them? I can hear it now, "Oh, your Uncle Chris was a great guy, you would have loved him." He'll just be some footnote in the picture albums that no one ever talks about?"

Sheila tried to change the depressing subject to take his mind off of it, "Why don't we go have some breakfast. I'll make your favorite?"

"I don't feel like eating. I want to go home and see how they're doing."

"I don't think that's a good idea for you right now. I'll call over there in a little bit."

He growled in frustration, "Why didn't they tell me, Aunt Sheel? How could they keep this from me? I was the cause of my little brother's death, for the _second_ time. He's probably so pissed at me. I need to talk to him. Tell him that I'm sorry. It was all my fault—if I hadn't killed that demon's brother, he wouldn't have come after Chris. He even said so." He mocked the demon's words from the attic, "He said, "_mine for yours, witch._" It's _my _fault, not Chris's. It wasn't fair to him. Do you think he's mad at me?"

Sheila immediately shook her head, "No! Wyatt, I don't. Your brother loves you, and he would never blame you for what happened." He had inherited his Aunt Phoebe's knack for babbling, but only when he was nervous or afraid. He hadn't babbled like this since he was a child, and it scared her that he did so now. She didn't believe that it was his fault, and knew she would be hard pressed to make him believe it too. He needed to hear it from Chris. "Can you summon him? Like your mom does for her grandmother?"

Wyatt shook his head sadly, "They'll never let me see him. Just like mom still can't see Aunt Prue. And it's been over twenty years. I can't wait that long…"

Sheila made her decision in that instant to show him the secret that she had kept hidden for so many years. "Wyatt? I wasn't sure if I should give you this now, or ever for that matter. But I think it's something that you need to see. Or rather, that you need to hear—especially now.

Behind the frame was a letter that had begun to yellow slightly. It was addressed to Wyatt Halliwell, in sloppy black handwriting.

Dear Wy,

Can I call you Wy? I hope you don't mind. And if you do, well there's really nothing you can do about it, can you ;)

I always wanted to call you that—it seemed so personal. But you hated when I did that since it wasn't your _formal_ name. And it just wasn't worth getting my ass kicked every single time I tried it. But I don't think you're like that now. I hope you and mini-me have a good relationship. That's something I always wanted. Don't get me wrong: I loved my brother—I really did. But it's hard to keep fighting to save someone who doesn't want to be saved. So I hope that the two of you are friends. You know, shoot some basketballs at him—instead of the energy balls mind you—cause they're really not fun to duck. And they're even less fun when you get hit and have to explain to your mother and father why you need healing. And Wy? If you're wondering why I keep calling him mini-me, then go and rent Austin Powers 2—you'd love it. Dr. Evil was just your style!

So anyway, I know you recognize the handwriting. And I'm sure by now, that Aunt Sheila has told you all about me. She's cool isn't she? Be good to her, ok? She's always been there for us, for as long as I can remember. She even accepted me first when I got to the past.

Yeah, I know—I babble like a brook when I really get started. But what do you expect? I was raised by Aunt Phoebe. Well now that we've saved you, I guess I can be a little more myself. And I guess I can be honest now too. I'm a little scared to go back because I'm not really sure what's going to happen to me in a few hours when I get there. But I can't wait to get to know my big brother. The real you. The way you should have been before they got to you. You see, all my life, you've only ever tolerated me most of the time. But then there were also a few times when you would help me out and I knew you could be saved. So if your evil self somehow manages to read this—don't be mad at me for coming to the past. It's your own fault :)

But if you're good like I know you are and you're still reading this, then I guess something terrible has happened to me—or maybe mini-me—same person? I don't really know. But whatever happens, I do know you'll be ok. I didn't work that hard at travelling to the past and pissin' off the family for you not to be. You're strong. Always have been.

But something really bad must have happened, because Aunt Sheila wouldn't have given you this letter otherwise. The only way to make sure the cleaners wouldn't be able to get to it is if they don't know about it. And they'd never believe that a mortal would have access to it. I had to give this to her to make sure it made it to your hands if she felt it was necessary. I'm really sorry that it is and I hope you're ok. I guess my point is, that if it's bad enough for you to see this, then you might need what's on the back of this letter. Funny thing is, I actually stole it from you. So I guess it really belongs to you?

One more thing--I love you bro. You only said that to me once. But I don't count it because Dad couldn't heal you in time and you ended up under morphine. By the way, if you're ever in the hospital again—don't let them give you the self-serve morphine drip, cause you just _kept _pushing that button. And a drugged up Wyatt is _almost _as scary as evil Wyatt:) Just kidding man. Whatever you decide to do—good luck. You'll do just fine.

Always,  
Christopher Perry Halliwell

Wyatt turned over the page of the letter and found what looked to be a spell. As he read it over, his head shot up questioningly, "What is this?"

Sheila looked over his shoulder to the paper he was holding. "Chris told me that it was the spell he used to come back to the past. He grabbed it after he was forced to make an impromptu trip to the old future. He didn't know when it was written, but I'm pretty sure that it doesn't exist anywhere else. You and I are the only ones who know about it."

Wyatt looked hopeful for the first time in hours, "Then I can fix this? I can get him back?"

Sheila cautioned him, "This is a last resort, Wyatt. He told me of the dangers of using the spell, and that's why I wasn't sure if I should give this to you. You might end up changing things more than you want them to. Let's see if your family can find a way before you even consider this, ok? I want you to promise me you'll do that?"

Wyatt hugged her enthusiastically while he gripped the letter tightly, "I promise. Thank you so much! How can I _ever_ thank you?"

Sheila smiled at the young man as she pulled him up off the bed, "How about by eating something. I'll make you my famous french toast? Are you hungry?"

Wyatt rubbed his stomach as he grinned with a newfound hope. "I'm starved."

Tbc…

AN: thank you for the reviews. They really keep me going. You guys are the best!


	7. He did it for me7

He did it for me Chapter 7  
By: teal-lover  
Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed. Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday. Disclaimer in chapter 1

* * *

When Leo orbed, he had almost set his destination on home, but decided against it at the last minute. His wife was far too emotional to see their son in any way other than alive and breathing right now. Instead, he headed to magic school where he could safely hide the boy both from his family, and anyone who wished him ill will. 

He knew that Piper wouldn't like it, and in fact would probably be furious with him for his decision, but he did what he felt was right for their son. She would simply have to live with it, or blow him up. He shivered at the thought as it was by no means a pleasant thing to have happen. That really hurt the few times she was angry enough to do it.

He orbed into a deserted section that he knew was rarely ever visited. The closet of the old library was perfect if he put a ward on it. Propping his son up against the wall, he kissed his forehead and closed the door behind him. He warded the door against any unwanted visitors to make sure that no one would disturb him until he returned for the boy. He took a deep breath and orbed back home to face the family and try to figure out the cryptic clues William had given him.

* * *

When Leo arrived, three heads shot up simultaneously in a hopeful glance. 

Piper wiped her bloodshot and puffy eyes. She noted the absence of her baby boy and she murmured his name softly.

Leo rushed forward and wrapped his arms around even as her sisters backed away quietly. He kissed the top of her head and held his wife tightly, "We'll find another way, Piper, I promise. I swear to you on my life that I'm not letting him go."

Phoebe stomped around the room angrily, "DAMN THEM! Why wont' they help us! After everything we've done for them, this I how they repay us?" She turned her head toward the ceiling and screamed upward, "YOU BASTARDS! I _swear _if you don't help my nephew, you can kiss the Power of Three _GOODBYE_."

Paige grabbed her towel that had started to slip as she stood up and yelled, "That's right—you can forget about any of us fighting for you anymore! If you don't help us, we'll quit! I don't give a crap if evil runs amuck because of it either! In fact, we'll go down to the underworld and call a truce!"

Phoebe was further incensed by her sister's words as she taunted them with Paige's threat, "That's a good idea. Letting the bad guys know that it's open season. A little advertising will be good for you!"

Leo said quietly, "I don't think threats are going to work, guys."

"We're damn serious!", Paige huffed and narrowed her eyes at her brother-in-law. "I know you are. And for that I'm glad, because I would be right there along side you making waves…"

Piper interrupted their heated conversation with her only concern at the moment, "Where is he, Leo?"

"Chris is safe, don't worry. I hid and cloaked him from the others so they couldn't stop us." All traces of the gentleness in his voice disappeared as the anger at the apparent conspiracy against his family resurfaced. "Listen guys, we need to talk."

All three sisters immediately turned to him hearing the venomous tone coming from their normally pacifist elder. The room rapidly grew silent.

"What is it, Leo?" the empath questioned.

"When I went to speak with the other Elders, William told me a few very interesting things. First of all, they pretended like they didn't know about Chris, but they did."

Paige rolled her eyes and posed a familiar question, "Did they try to convince you to go up there to be a full time Elder again?"

"Of course. What else is new?" Turning his head slowly to face the mother of his children, he looked her in the eye as he prepared his next sentence. He took her hand anticipating that what he was about to say would enrage her, but he needed to keep them all focused on the problem. "They also tried to convince me that Wyatt and Chris should have never been born…"

Unfortunately, Leo knew his wife of twenty-four years all too well. Piper's eyes widened. Her nostrils flared. And all of the surrounding windows and glass shattered.

Paige reacted quickly and grabbed Phoebe and orbed out to avoid the flying shards of glass.

Leo's eye roamed over Piper's shoulder and saw a stray shard of glass whizzing toward them. Before he could orb, Piper froze the room and the flying glass without even moving her hands. As they moved out of it's path, Leo breathed a sigh of relief that the witch's powers had grown to eliminate the need for hand gestures to control them. If they hadn't, she probably wouldn't have been able to move fast enough to avoid being hit.

Leo took her face in his hands and kissed her temple, "Honey, please—calm down. We'll deal with that later. Right now we need to focus on getting him back. You know your powers are tied to your emotions." He coaxed her, "Piper, take deep breaths. In and out. In. Out. That's it."

"I'm sorry, Leo. This is all just too much right now" she whispered into his shoulder.

"I know baby, but I need your help right now."

"Ok. what else were you going to tell us?"

"Let's wait for your sisters."

No sooner had he spoken of the other Charmed sisters, Paige and Phoebe orbed back in. The youngest asked shyly, "Is it safe yet?" As Piper nodded silently, she uttered a cleaning spell to remove the debris and fix the windows.

Phoebe cautiously approached her older sister and laid her hand on the woman's shoulder, "They're wrong, Piper. You know that."

She whipped her head around, "Of course I know that! But Leo's right and we need to focus on getting Chris back. So let's not talk about any of that other stuff right now. I don't want to hurt you guys, and I don't know if I can control it."

Paige nodded but wasn't able to stand the suspense any longer and tapped her foot impatiently. Though the action didn't make as much of an impact since she was still barefoot from her hasty retreat out of the shower. When Leo didn't respond, she growled, "LEO!"

"Sorry. Look, when I was up there, William stopped me as I was leaving and he brought up a good point. Piper, do you remember what I was doing yesterday?"

"You were assigning new charges?" she replied in confusion.

"Right. And I assume you're not aware of this, but the only time when I can't hear or sense my charges is either when I'm in the underworld, or when I'm assigning new ones."

Phoebe crossed her arms in confusion, "But you weren't in the underworld, right?"

"No, I wasn't."

The empath thought she was following, but questioned again "Then I don't understand why you wouldn't be able to hear us just because you're assigning new charges."

Leo answered, "Because I have to have a connection with the new charges in order to transfer them to their whitelighter. Now the only way for my charges—which are the three of you, Chris, and Wyatt—would not get passed on to that other whitelighter, is if I temporarily break the connection we share that allows me to hear and sense you."

Piper closed her eyes to try to control her anger as she waited for him to confirm her suspicions, "So you couldn't get here in time."

"Exactly. I would have been able to sense something was wrong long before the demon shimmered in."

Phoebe grew angry at her brother in law, "Why would you _ever_ break the connection Leo?"

He replied defensively as he began to raise his voice, "Because it's never been longer than a minute at most, but usually about thirty seconds. It's never been long enough to make a difference, and this time, it was only _37 _seconds. Ever since Chris told me what I was like in the old future, I have _ALWAYS _been here for my sons."

The empath was feeling her own anger and frustration combined with the emotional tension and distress of her family. She snapped at him angrily since he was an easy target and apparently the only one willing to give her the fight she needed to blow off steam. With her hands on her hips, she sneered challengingly, "Well you weren't here for Chris this time, were you?"

Piper gasped at her sister's words and added heatedly, "HOW _DARE _YOU—accuse my husband of being_ anything _less than a good father to my sons. Where the hell were you? I'll tell you where—off playing house in Hong Kong…"

Before another angry would could be uttered, Paige stood in the center of the room and whistled using her fingers. She knew how much they all hated the high pitched screeching that always drew their attention. "THAT'S ENOUGH! All of you! Fighting with each other isn't going to get us anywhere. _NONE OF US_ were here, were we?" She waited for the other three to look down shamefully before she turned to Leo and asked, "But I think that was your point, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was."

Phoebe took a deep breath to calm herself and smoothed back her now shoulder length brown hair. Turning to her family, she apologized, "I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean to point fingers or lash out at anyone. I guess we're all to blame here."

Leo shook his head adamantly, "No. We're not. _THAT _was my point." He faced the youngest sister, "Paige, what were you doing before you got Phoebe?"

"I was in the shower" she answered.

"But you took one yesterday morning? I mean, I assume you did since that's always the first thing you do in the morning?"

As Paige nodded in confirmation, Piper interrupted. "Why? You said you _hate _doing that more than once a day."

The youngest Charmed One was baffled herself and shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I just felt compelled to take one again. A really long, hot, shower. It was like—nothing else in the world mattered when I was in there."

Phoebe scrunched up her face as she tried to think of a reason for her baby sister's actions, "Now see, that just doesn't make sense."

Leo moved on, "And Phoebe, you said you had a premonition?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I saw that Chris was in danger. So I tried to reach you guys by calling everyone, and I even tried the phone. I came when I finally reached Paige."

"Well how long ago did you have the premonition before you reached Paige?"

She looked up as she mentally tried to recall the time, "It couldn't have been more than a few minutes. It seemed like a really long time. But Jason didn't even have time to charter the jet, so it couldn't have been."

Leo looked a bit smug as he asked her, "Yet you still got here long after Chris was already dead?"

Paige's eyes widened at Leo's question that was more of a statement, "That means you had it afterward! I know you've had close calls before, but you've never had a premonition _AFTER _the fact. That would be pretty useless."

"Something delayed you from getting it when you should have" Leo commented. Turning to his wife, "And Piper—"

With a far away look, she answered wistfully, "I had a bad feeling. I knew something was wrong, but I ignored it and didn't trust my instincts. Why didn't I trust myself?" She stood up and paced furiously, "What kind of a mother am I? Instead of listening to my instincts that tell me that something's wrong with my child, I sit back down drinking tea and watching stupid movies!"

Leo grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. He stroked her back soothingly to calm the agitated woman. "You're a great mother, Piper. It's not your fault. Everything that happened to all of us was just too coincidental. Besides that, Wyatt was here when it happened, and I got here right here afterward—but there was no chance to heal Chris. And you know how much Wy loves his brother; he would have healed him if it had been possible."

Paige and Phoebe locked eyes with each other before the empath responded, "I don't believe in coincidences, Leo."

Steely-blue eyes met three sets of hardened brown ones as the anger inside the man intensified, "Neither do I. Chris wasn't just killed by a demon. He was set up. He was murdered."

Tbc…

**AN: Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you—did I mention thank you? for all the wonderful reviews? You guys really keep me going.**

I'm taking what little bit of free time I have to respond to reviews since they mean so much to me, and I'm taking it all the way back to the beginning—so you might need to look back a few pages to even see what I'm talking about :D

I would love to do it all the time, but never get a chance if I'm going to be able to update. And since I don't do it that often (ok, well--never.) But I'm just so pressed for time with a full time job & grad school—so I hope you find it in your hearts to forgive me. (insert Puppy dog eyes here)

But if there's anything else I you mentioned in a review that I didn't cover (cause I'm running low on time), feel free to email me & I'll respond personally. I do actually get to that a tad bit more often & I love to get emails.)

My email is teal underscore lover at netzero dot net (use the actual underscore key, and use the actual "at" sign, and the period for dot, because it wouldnt let me ad it here) stupid quick edit--grumble grumble.

Cause that's my favorite color, just in case you ever wandered.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

trina-k we'll see what he decides. But this is wyatt you know? :)

and I try my hardest not to be predictable & obvious, so no—it most certainly will not be that simple. I love a challenge. And thank you! (by the way, I loved the scene with the blocks too. It was just too cute, so I took an imaginary picture:)

Stranded Stargazer—thank you. I'm glad you like it.

Leigh1986—everything will work probably out in the end, but it's going to be a bumpy road. Don't cry, we'll at least see chris again in the next 1 or 2 chapters.

Mugglewolf—thank you. He's just fine where he is right now. He's with grams! We'll see him again soon.

Terri—I'm glad you were looking forward to it, because I look forward to writing it. I even do it on the train ride to work. It just takes me a while to type, but more soon ok?

phoebe turner—thanks! And I will very soon.

Alyssa Halliwell—I'm glad you liked the letter. I was afraid it was too sappy, so I tried to ad some humor to it. But it should give some interesting foreshadowing into what' to come. I think you'll like what I have planned for the chris's. Two are always better than one, don't you think? :D

Stony Angel—don't worry about it, I'm just so thrilled you reviewed! Where wyatt goes, much trouble will ensue. He's a handful isn't he? :) Mind you, I would be opposed to getting my hands on him (and Chris too). Ha.

Nathy1000000—oh thank you! I had to write it that way because I just cant stand the idea of wyatt hating chris. I'm glad you liked the letter, even the morphine part. Funny thing about that is, I took it from my real life brother—whose name just so happens to be chris. Makes it really strange to write about this chris.

DarkGoddessRaven—glad you like it. I'm constantly writing even if I can't type & update.

IcantthinkofaFnick—I love your idea! I've already gotten a large portion of that part written, and some of it's already going to happen. You'll just have to wait & see which part. ;)

Phoeeebs—I'm glad you like it. I'll try to keep updating until I finish before school starts.

Red-rumm—thanks! I hope your still reading. If you've the other one I have under this pen name, cool. Maybe you'll like the sequel I have planned. I am actually trying to complete it before I even begin to post since school starts up again shortly.

phoebe turner—thanks. I'm just glad you liked it all. I hope it's better in the next few. Cause I'm so happy you think it's one of the best stories. Yeah, it would be too sad to leave him that way. I adore the boy to much to have that happen. He's just too hot. :)

ilovedrew88—they are stupid arent' they? I've always hated them. I hope this chapter cleared up william's connection. And about both Chris's? There is a reason for them—but should be cleared up just before the end. It should be interesting.

Drewfuller4eva—I totally agree. I never liked the show making Leo out to be the total bad guy without fixing it. He's even been kind of strange in this season too.

Juzblue—thank you. I most certainly intend to.

Prillygirl—haha. You're funny. You know I said the same thing when I read it over again! I hope you didn't get hurt:) when the chair moved.

cold-blooded-angel—thanks! I will.

Eva Cale—I try, I really do. But even if I don't update right away, I am always writing in my notebook with new chapters. :)

_Faith, Love and Penny Candy—Thanks! I hope it was worth the wait. _

Sakari—I hope you liked how I worked it out with Chris. It should be interesting with both of them. Hehe.

CaliforniaChick—I love sheila being part of the extended family, so she'll have a lot to do with the picture. Just wait & see.

Enchantersnight—your wish is my command ;) And thank you.

jenna51980—I'm glad you like it, and I didn't know they could fly:) I will update again soon.

Pita—thank you. I will keep it up, hopefully more quickly now that the semester's over for a while.

Charmedsisters—thanks. Don't worry, I would never leave such a hottie dead permanently. But I do love to mess with him. It's so endearing :)

Nikki14u—Thank you. I can't wait to find out what happens next either. Just kidding. I do know & have an idea for the whole plot & ending. I just have to work in time for the dialog.

XLuckiLuVx—I'll bring him back. Probably. Well, we'll see. Thanks.

prettyredneck8—don't cry. But he's just had such a tough life that I had to make it tougher. But I think things will work out for him.

nighttime writer—your welcome for the update. It was my pleasure since I love to write. I even hope to keep updating until I finish lol.

darcy101—I will continue, and of course—as soon as possible.

Merope—oh I hope you don't think of me as bad as that jerk! I just like to mess with Chris. He's just jealous of him getting all the attention. And thank you. I try.

Heather—I will! I will! I think? :) Thank you.


	8. He did it for me8

He did it for me

Chapter 8

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: You guys have just been so wonderful to me with the reviews, that I got so excited and worked alllll weekend to get this update. I hope you like it :)

* * *

Chris now sat in a chair with his head between his legs. He had felt lightheaded after hearing the shocking information from his Great Grandmother and she insisted that he sit before he fell. He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, "NoNoNo. That's not possible, Grams. There's just NO WAY he can be me." He stood up and pointed to his chest, "I'm me! Not HIM" 

Penny smiled patiently at the second version of her youngest grandson while she tried to explain to him once again, as she had been doing repeatedly for the past several hours. "Darling, it is true. He _is _you. He is Christopher Perry Halliwell."

He shook his head adamantly again, "Nope. I don't believe it. My family wouldn't have kept something like this from me. They would have told me if this were true. Now who is he really?"

Her patience wearing thin, she clenched her teeth as she spoke and tried to get him to accept it. "Well it _IS _true. Whether you like it or not. They didn't tell you because they didn't want you to have a complex over it. Although, I'm starting to see the wisdom in their decision. Now accept the facts and move on. We've got bigger things to worry about right now other than your little identity crisis! NOW LET'S GO!"

Penny Halliwell spun on her heels, her bracelets dangling and dancing in tune to her angry march back down the hallway. Halfway down, she didn't turn or look up when she paused and shook her finger in the air, "There must be something wrong with my hearing because I don't hear footsteps behind me!" She cocked her head and listened for the hurried shuffling of his feet. She smiled and murmured to herself as soon as she heard what she was listening for, "Hmm. After over a quarter century of being dead, I still got it."

She burst open the door to find her daughter Patty and her granddaughter Prue gathered around her original great-grandson Chris.

Patty watched with a humorous grin as the young man slinked in behind her mother looking sufficiently scolded. Before greeting him, she quietly walked over to the older woman to calm her before they continued, "Mom. Take it easy. You know this is hard for him. I knew Prue and I should have gone to meet him. Your temper got the best of you, didn't it?"

Penny whispered to her only daughter so the other's in the room couldn't hear. "He's just so damn irritatingly stubborn. Just like his mother."

She grinned knowing that Penny's temperament had obviously worn off on her family in question, "Hmm. I wonder where they both got that from?" Penny huffed and was about to reply just as they were interrupted by the heated confrontation arising on the other side of the room.

"Impostor!" Chris accused.

"YOU'RE THE IMPOSTOR! I was Christopher Perry Halliwell long before _YOU _came along! I was the one that got _YOU _conceived. That means _I'M _the original, _YOU'RE _the copy!"

"BULLS--"

Penny stormed over and stood between them, "WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE, young man. Didn't your mother ever teach you not to swear in front of a lady?"

"Ha!" the other boy gloated.

Penny faced him, "And you! Stop egging him on, Chris! You've been here long enough to know better."

Pointing to himself, the younger version sniped, "He's not Chris, I am."

"Well so am I!"

Prue saw her grandmother trying to reign in her own fiery temper and decided to mediate between the two identical boys before either they came to blows, or Penny did. "Look, you two. I love you both, and I don't want to see you get hurt. Because that's what's going to happen if you don't knock this off. I've seen Grams get angry before. And it's not pretty."

Patty took her cue from her oldest daughter and tried as well. "We're going to have to come up with a way to distinguish the two of you apart. At least as far as names go."

Penny spoke up with her definitive answer, leaving no room for debate. "That's easy. I know that neither of you like the name Perry--so one of you will be Chris, and one of you will be Christopher. The only thing you two get to decide is which one you will be. Now what's it going to be?"

They both spoke at the same time, "I'm gonna' be Chris!"

"No I'm gonna' be Chris!" they tried again.

"Grams." They whined simultaneously.

She laughed at their intonation, "Do you girls hear an echo in here? Well I'm glad you both finally agree on something." She turned to the newest version and spoke in no uncertain terms, "I'm settling this right now. You will be addressed as Christopher. He will be Chris." Since he never liked his full name, he started to protest but she narrowed her eyes, "Get over it. He's had it longer. He will continue to have it." She flicked her eyes from one boy to the other, daring them to say anything else. "Now. Onto more important matters."

Christopher spoke up timidly, almost afraid to face his great grandmother's wrath again. "Can I ask a question?"

Penny had calmed considerably and was back to her normal and sweet demeanor. "Yes dear?"

"Is this heaven? Cause I didn't think I could ever get in trouble in heaven."

The three women laughed and decided that they would probably have no more trouble from him.

"It's not quite heaven." Prue answered. "More of a layover until you get there. But it is a spiritual plane. You see, we came down and intercepted you before you could actually make it to heaven."

"Why? You don't think I'm good enough to make it to heaven?" he asked indignantly.

"Of course we do, sweetie. But if you made it all the way there, there's no chance for you to go back to your family. And none of us are convinced that this was supposed to happen. Like for me, I was supposed to die, so that they could meet Paige. It was even prophesized that the "Eldest Charmed Sister" would give birth to you and your brother. And since some of them even mentioned Leo, that meant that I wouldn't be in the picture at that point."

"There are prophecies about me?"

The older version of the boy, now officially known as Chris, walked over and tapped the younger boy on his forehead as if he was knocking on wood. "Not anymore genius. News flash! You're dead!"

Patty glared at her grandson that spoke while she responded to the other, "Ignore him. He's just a bit irritable because we haven't put him down for his _nap_ yet. Yes Christopher, there are prophecies. And you can't possibly fulfill them if you're dead. That's why it was such a total surprise when we heard what happened to you. We came right down to meet you."

"Then why did you bring _him _here?" he sniped pointing to the older version of himself.

Chris answered even though the question wasn't directed at him. "Because I never left here. I chose not to go up there."

Christopher raised his eyebrows in confusion, "Why would you want to do that?"

The three women were saddened by the answer they knew he wanted. It broke their hearts to see how much Chris was secretly hurt by his family's actions. Or lack thereof. He tried to pretend that it didn't bother him when they didn't come for him after Gideon killed him. But they knew better.

Patty looked to her daughter and mother and willed them silently to let her handle his question delicately. She knew that the other two could be very blunt in their explanations, and didn't want to hurt the older boy currently in the room. "Well. In case your mother and father tried to bring him back." She added hurriedly, "But you have to understand that they thought he had simply been reborn as you."

Chris mumbled before walking out of the door, "Yeah, sure they did. More like it was just easier for them to pretend like I never existed."

Everyone jumped as the door slammed on his way out.

Patty explained to the boy, "I'm sorry about that Christopher. He's just—very upset right now."

Christopher stared after the door where his mirror image had just exited. The other boy's behavior and reaction that his family hadn't come for him in all these years made him reconsider his identity. Add that to the fact that he reminded him of himself, which was probably why he irritated him so much. They were too much alike. He began to wonder out loud, "He really is me, isn't he?"

All three women sighed and nodded their heads.

"Then I don't understand. How could this have happened?"

"We're not entirely sure ourselves, dear" Penny replied. "But "the how" doesn't really matter at this point. We need to focus on trying to get you back where you belong, on earth with your family." She turned to her daughter and grand-daughter, "Were you two able to find out anything while I was explaining things to Christopher here?"

Prue answered, "I looked in on Piper and Leo, and they were starting to figure out that Christopher had been set up. I don't think they know by who yet, and I wasn't able to find out either."

Christopher's mouth gaped open in horror, "What do you mean I was set up? You mean I was murdered?"

Patty wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she led him to the couch. "Yes, you were. We've been trying to find out who planned all of this, but everyone up there is being very tight-lipped about it."

Prue crossed her arms sternly, "Which leads me to believe that this goes very high up the ranks. I wouldn't put it past those sneaky Elders to do something dirty like this. What I can't figure out is why? I mean, you fight on their side! Why would they want to loose an ally as powerful as you for no reason?"

"There has to be a reason, Prue" Patty added. "_We _just don't know what it is."

Prue paced back and forth trying think of an explanation, "Then we need to find out what it is. But we're extremely limited as to who we can question by being up here. If the Elders are involved, we don't want to tip our hand and let them know that he's here instead of up there." She turned to her nephew seriously, "Because if they find out you're here, your death is likely to be permanent."

Penny snapped her fingers as an idea formed, "We need to be down there to gather as much information as possible. And I think I know just how to do that. Christopher? I want you to stay here with your Aunt Prue. You'll be safe here with her."

"Where are you going?"

"We're going down to see your family. I think we can figure this out quicker if we all work together."

"Then I should go with you!"

She shook her head, "No, Christopher. Technically, you're not fully dead, so we're not sure if you can be summoned. Besides, Chris will be coming with me."

"WHAT!" he yelled.

Penny covered her ears at the high pitched screech he gave her. "Darling, he's had more experience with investigating things like this than you have. And--"

"No!" Christopher replied emphatically. "You can't take him! I should be the one to go, they're _my _family!"

Penny glared at him, "Don't be selfish! They're his family too! He has sacrificed everything he ever knew so that you could have the wonderful life you've been enjoying for the past 19 years. He's never gotten to experience any of that, but he earned it! He lost his mother when he was 14, and the rest of his family shortly after. His brother was an evil tyrant that ruled the world and made his life a living hell every chance he got. His life was positively miserable. And the few good things he did have, he gave up for _you_! We're going to fix things so that you get to go back to them for the rest of your life. Why can't you spare just a little of that happiness for the one person who made it possible for you?"

Patty crossed her arms angrily at the young man in silent agreement with her mother.

Prue looked on disappointedly at his selfish behavior, "You owe him!"

Christopher turned away from the three generations of Halliwell women to avoid the glares. He really felt bad now, but he couldn't help it—this was all a lot to take in. First he finds out that he's dead. Then he finds out that somehow, his soul managed to get split in two. Then he finds out that he had been murdered—most likely by people that his family had trusted. But then he thought about what Grams said about how bad the other Chris' life had been. And how he had sacrificed everything for his future to be a good one. So when he really thought about it, he really did owe his life—and everything in it to the other Chris. They were right. The least he could do was let him share a little bit of the happiness that he had.

He blushed and stared at his feet shamefully, "Ok. I'm sorry. You guys are right. He should go."

Penny nodded in appreciation and ruffled his hair, "I'm so glad you agree, Dear."

Before she turned to head out, Patty pulled her aside and asked her quietly, "Do you think he's ready for that? To see them again? After all they've put him through? He was so hurt when they didn't come for him, Mom."

"I think this will be good for him. He's been here so many years, and maybe now he'll finally be able to move on and come with us."

Sighing heavily, Patty threw her arms up and gestured wildly, "I _just _don't want to see him hurt again, Mom."

Penny stood her ground and replied firmly, "He won't be. Because I'm not planning on telling them who he is. As far as they're concerned, he was reborn as the Christopher standing right here in this room. And they'll shower him with all of the love and attention he's always deserved."

Patty crossed her arms in disbelief, "Mom! That's dishonest. And they'll never believe it."

"No it's not. And yes they will. Chris and Christopher look completely identical, which is really no surprise since they are essentially the same person. They even act alike. Trust me, My Darling Daughter--none of them will _ever _notice the difference."

Penny kissed Patty's cheek and turned to leave in no uncertain terms, "Now I'm taking him and that's final."

Tbc…

AN: Just for clarification—the Chris from this timeline that died in the first chapter will now be known as Christopher, and the original Chris that Gideon killed will still be known as Chris.

So what did you think????

Ok, more on the family next chapter.


	9. He did it for me9

He did it for me

Chapter 9

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

* * *

Penny wandered down the long hallway in search of her great-grandson. She found him in the room he had designated as his own for the past several years. Pushing open the door, "Chris?" She questioned gently.

When he didn't seem to hear her, she paused and watched him bouncing the basketball she had given him to keep him occupied. He continued to ignore her so she asked him again, "What are you doing?"

He bounced the ball harder and gritted his teeth, "What does it look like I'm doing?"

Faster than Chris ever thought she could move, he looked up in surprise as Penny grabbed the ball in mid air and held it under her arms. "Don't you take that tone with me, young man."

He glared for a moment before he lowered his eyes down to the floor. "What do you want? Don't you have your hands full with the _Boy Genius?_"

Penny sat down next him, "No, I think I have my hands full with you. Why are you being so snippy with me? Now I know you're upset with your family, but have I ever given you reason to be upset with me?"

"No." he said reluctantly. "And I don't have any family. Except maybe you, Aunt Prue, and Grandma Patty."

"What about Piper, Leo, Paige, Phoebe? They're your family?"

Laying down, he clasped his hands behind his back as stared up at the ceiling. He muttered quietly, "No, my family's been dead for a long time. And the worst part about being dead like this is that I'll never see them again. I always thought that if I died, it would be ok because I'd get to see my mom again. But I guess now that I've erased that future, she's gone right along with it."

Penny reached out and pulled him into a sitting position. She knew that he needed the comfort of family right now, and decided to wrap her arms around him. "Darling, you mother's not dead. She's alive and well—all because of you. And so is the rest of your family."

He scoffed angrily, "Like I care!"

Sighing heavily, Penny made a decision to press further about his feelings before she mentioned her ulterior motive for being in his room. "Chris, I know you're angry at them in general, for not looking for you. But what specifically about them bother's you the most?"

Chris was tempted to tell her to simply go away and leave him alone, but the look of genuine concern on her face compelled him to answer truthfully. He no longer had any secrets or the guise of future consequences to hide behind. For most of his life, he was so used to being independent and relying on no one but himself. And as a result years ago, the thought of opening up to someone would have made him cringe. But as he glanced at Penny Halliwell out of the corner of his eye, he was reminded that she was one of the few people that he truly believed cared about him. He no longer felt the need to hold back his thoughts and feelings.

He took a deep breath and answered sadly, "I just wish they hadn't even pretended that they cared about me."

At his crestfallen look, she waited patiently for Chris to gather his thoughts. When he finally began again, it was as if a damn had burst as the words rolled off his tongue.

"It would have been so much easier if they had just acted like they had in the beginning. Did you know that back then, they hated me? Didn't trust me? Thought I was evil? Threw me out of my own house, cursed me off, and even tried to kill me?"

At her incredulous look he quickly cleared up, "Ok, well maybe not _kill me_. But at the very least, they all wanted to kick my ass at one time or another. And even when they started to come around, they still really only tolerated me. But then the day I thought I was going back to the future, they hugged me and said how much they would miss me and all. And for the first time, I felt—I don't know. Like I belonged. But it wasn't really true. They adjusted just fine without me. Like it didn't even matter what Gideon did. Cause I didn't really mean anything to them. I was just the irritating whitelighter from the future. I was just some _unreal _version of the son they were going to have."

"That's not how they felt, and you know that. They loved you. but they've always thought that you were a part of _their _Christopher."

Chris shrugged nonchalantly, "Who cares. I don't need them just like they didn't need me."

Penny raised her eyebrows slightly in disbelief, "You don't mean that. You miss them, don't you?

"NO!" he answered abruptly. "Well maybe a little."

Deciding that now was a good time to spring it on him, she added conspiratorially, "How would you like to see them again?

"I can see them anytime I want. I can look in on them just as well as you do."

"No, I mean—see them. In person. Talk to them. Interact with them."

Narrowing his eyes warily, Chris asked her, "What's the catch?"

She deftly avoided his question answering, "Well, you always wanted to get to know Wyatt. Now's your chance."

Chris laughed, "Why, so I can see what I've been missing? And besides, you didn't answer my question, Grams. _What's the catch?_"

Hesitantly, she mumbled "Uh. We don't—tell them—who you really are."

His smile quickly faded as his voice grew bitter again, "Because I'm not their _precious _little boy that they've watched growing up?"

Penny shook her head adamantly, "No, Chris. Because in their eyes—you _ARE _that little boy. They simply don't know that there are two of you. And you won't get to know them, really talk to them, if they're distracted by the fact that _both _of their second-born son's are dead." She knew her reasoning was shaky at best, but hoped that his desire to be with his family again would outweigh his rationality. She decided to dangle one last proverbial carrot on a stick and use his favorite pastime against him. She added in a sing-song voice, "You can play some basketball with Wyatt."

His green eyes flashed with excitement at the possibility before he relented. He quickly schooled his expression and acted as if he were doing her a favor, "Well. I suppose I'll go if you insist…" He added as an afterthought, "What about Christopher", he asked shyly as if he feared the rug would be pulled out from under him if he didn't tread carefully.

Penny smiled broadly, "He's agreed to stay here. He thinks you should go."

Chris questioned once more for clarification and tested some of the nicknames he remembered his family giving him, "But I can't tell them that I'm their "irritating" "pushy" "future-boy" "creepy-pod-people-smiling" whitelighter from the future where Wyatt was evil?"

"I wouldn't recommend it. But we do have some work to do, so it won't be all fun and games…We still have to find out who killed Christopher, and why."

At the mention of the second version of himself, Chris glanced down at his own wardrobe and noticed his lack of more recent and stylish clothing. He smiled sinisterly at the thought of usurping anything of the young man's in a mild form of payback. "Well if I'm going to go meet the family, I guess I'm going to need new clothes." As he imagined snatching the clothes off the younger boy's back, he added with grin, "And I know just where to get em'."

Tbc…

AN: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS!

I'm hoping to add Wyatt back to the next story now that he's had his breakfast. (and since it's supposed to be a story about him & his brother after all.) But, I guess it's just going to be longer than I planned.


	10. He did it for me10

He did it for me

Chapter 10

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

* * *

After Wyatt had finished his breakfast, he sat at the kitchen table watching his Godmother do the dishes. He suddenly had a doubt, but didn't want to worry her any further. 

The woman hadn't even turned around when she spoke, "What's on your mind, Wyatt?"

He choked back the cider he was drinking as he thought, 'She must have eyes in the back of her head.' Out loud, he merely asked her "How do you know that something's on my mind."

Putting the dish towel down, she smiled and sat down at the table with him. "Because I know you. And you're suddenly very quiet. That always means your thinking."

"Oh." He said as he avoided her eyes in embarrassment.

Sheila chuckled softly at his reaction, "What did you think that I had eyes in the back of my head?"

"Of course not!" he half laughed indignantly to cover himself.

She prompted him again, "So what is it? You want to go over there, don't you?"

He sighed heavily, "Yeah. How am I going to face mom and dad? Knowing that I killed their son?"

"But you didn't" she pointed out.

"Well maybe not _physically_," he insisted, "but I was sure responsible for it happening. Aunt Sheel—I've never been so scared in my life." His voice grew steadily faster and louder as he started to panic. "But what if I fail? What if I can't bring him back? What am I going to do?"

Sheila grabbed both of his hands to calm him, "Calm down, Wyatt. You many not even need to do anything depending on what your family comes up with. You need to talk to them first before you do anything. Besides, whatever you do—_you will not _fail. You'll do just fine. I have faith in you. You just have to have a little in yourself as well."

Wyatt immediately felt comforted by her words of encouragement. "You know, Chris is always saying that to me. If they don't find a way—you know he's probably depending on me to do this for him. After all, _he did it for me, _right?"

She nodded with a slight curl of her lips, "Right. But you still need to talk to your family first."

He asked hesitantly, "Will you come with me?"

"Did you even need to ask?"

* * *

Back at the manor, Paige had excused herself to go and get dressed before they explored what was going on, while Phoebe left to inform her family of the situation. 

Both nervous parents paced the attic in the younger sisters' absence. It was Piper that noticed the pages of the Book of Shadows fanning on their own. She tapped her husband to get his attention, "Leo, look!"

He rushed over to the book and looked up excitedly after his eyes glazed over the familiar spell the pages opened up to. "It's the summoning spell."

Piper's breath caught in her throat as she anticipated being able to see her son again. "Do you think it could be Chris trying to contact us?"

"I don't know. But there's only one way to find out. Grab the candles, I'll get your sisters."

Piper raced downstairs and into her bedroom to find the candles they usually used for summoning their grandmother. She skidded into the room, her heart pounding nearly as bad as it had when she had run to the house the previous night.

Scanning the room quickly, she wasn't sure where she had left the candles since she hadn't used them in such a long time. With a frustrated growl, she tore things from the shelves and discarded anything that didn't remotely resemble something she could light. Which meant that the room was in utter chaos when she finally found the scented candles she was looking for and dashed back up the steps.

Out of breath, she gasped to Leo and her sisters awaiting anxiously in the attic, "I found them…"

One by one, the sisters each lit a candle and squeezed each other's hands as they began to recite the once familiar chant to summon their grandmother.

In the center of the circle, the white orbs coalesced slowly. Everyone held their breaths in unspoken hopes that Chris would return.

When Piper recognized the familiar form, she quickly felt her heart sink. "Grams."

The older woman pretended to be annoyed by her despondent reaction and replied sarcastically, "Well. It's good to see you too."

Piper was too disappointed to speak and looked to Leo to fill in her missing words.

He took his cue from the pleading look in his wife's eyes and stepped forward to greet Penny Halliwell. "Hello Penny. It _really_ is good to see you, and Piper doesn't mean any offense. But something terrible has happened and we were kind of expecting someone else."

Penny feigned surprise, "Why—whatever do you mean?"

Phoebe was all too familiar with the avoidance tactic her grandmother used. After all, she had used the same on the woman many times in her rebellious youth. "You know, don't you?"

"Well, since you asked. Yes, as a matter of fact—I do."

Piper asked hopefully, "Have you seen him? Is he ok?"

"_Ok-_is not really the word I would use, but I have seen him."

Looking to her oldest living granddaughter, Penny spoke serenely to the distraught mother. "Don't worry, Dear. I don't believe this was supposed to happen, and I'm sure we'll find a way around it."

"But I need to see him Grams! I can't loose him again."

Penny nodded with a cheshire-like grin, "Well, maybe I can arrange something for you?" She tuned to them and cautioned, "But just remember—he's been through a lot. So don't overwhelm him."

The older woman walked over to the center of the room and stepped out of the circle to become corporeal. She chanted something incoherent to the others to appear as if she were reciting a spell to call their son/nephew.

In actuality, the chant was just for show so that the family wouldn't take it upon themselves to summon the young man. It was a rare known fact that once a spirit had been summoned, that spirit could in turn communicate and summon others. And the Halliwell matriarch had counted on them not knowing that particular fact.

Chris and Penny had already planned when he would appear to them at her beckoning. She was mumbling under her breath the words to a song that had been one of her favorites in her flower-child days before she mentally told him to appear.

Hearing his great-grandmother call for him, Chris took a deep breath and prepared to greet his family once again. And once again, he was going to see them under false pretenses. For the second time meeting him since he returned to the past, they would not know who he really was. And now that it was time to do it again, for that—he was glad. He took a deep breath and materialized in swirl of soft yellow and white shimmering lights.

Piper saw the dark haired, green-eyed young man slowly coalescing in the center of the circle at her grandmother's summoning. In her minds eye, it had only been less than a day since she had seen her youngest son, but it felt like an eternity. She rushed forward to meet him on unsteady legs. "Chris…" she murmured softly.

The butterflies doing summersaults in Chris's stomach rapidly turned to a heavy weight bearing down on him. At seeing his family again; all at once, the emotional turbulence he had experienced since he died many years ago flooded back. Simultaneously, he felt anger at them for giving up on him; hurt by them for dismissing him; and scared of the rejection and disappointment he knew in his own mind they would display if they found out who he really was.

On instinct, he took one step back from them at each step forward they took.

Raising outstretched arms, his mother called his name again. Piper halted in her tracks as soon as she saw him backpedaling. 'What's wrong with him?' she thought to herself. "Oh Sweetie, I'm sorry I wasn't here to stop this from happening…"

Piper took another step forward but stopped again when she saw the momentary surge of anger that flashed in his sage-green eyes. The anger, she half expected since she too blamed herself for his untimely demise. But she was completely stunned by the reaction that followed. The anger was quickly replaced by a hesitant look of fear as he distanced himself both mentally and physically from everyone in the room. His wide-eyed and wary expression reminded her of wounded puppy.

She wasn't sure what to do herself, but she turned and silently pleaded with her husband to do something.

Leo and Paige were both confused by Chris's reaction to them as they were expecting a much warmer welcome. They both stepped forward and tried to calm the boy, but an outstretched arm across Leo's chest coming from the empath stopped him. Paige's arm was grabbed by her grandmother to halt any advancement.

Phoebe, on the other hand, remained as far back as possible sensing the intense emotions emanating from the dark-haired teen. She was surprised by his fear directed toward them but remained calm and impassive. She put her hands up letting him know that she was not approaching him, "It's ok, Chris. Do you know where you are? Who we are?"

Chris was ready to give up now and throw in the towel before he even spoke to them. He had been so sure that he could get past the despairing feelings they brought up in him, but now he didn't think it was possible. He lowered his head sadly, avoiding the question and suddenly finding his shoelaces extremely fascinating.

Penny shook her head at the absurd question Phoebe had just asked and brushed her aside strolling over to Chris. She knew he would not retreat from her and stood as a barrier between him and the rest of the family. Having known him for so long, she had a feeling that he would react this way, and had been prepared for it. She also knew that with the right encouragement from her, he could get past it.

As she started to speak to him, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that the others were cautiously moving forward. Her head shot up with a glare warning them away.

Piper began to protest to the silent warning, "But he's my—"

Penny quickly lost her patience deciding that her great-grandson was her only concern for the moment. She verbally lashed out at them, "I don't care! Stay back! I asked you not to overwhelm him." Pointing to the other side of the attic, "Now go over there!" she ordered.

The Charmed Ones reluctantly followed Leo to the opposite end of the attic. They tried to listen in to what their grandmother had been whispering to the young man. They got nervous when he shook his head negatively and seemed to pull away. 'Where was he going? NO, don't let him leave!' They all seemed to think with worried glances to each other. However, the family on the opposite end were all amazed at how quickly Penny was able to calm him, as if she had been doing it for some time rather than simply overnight. When she kissed his forehead and murmured something to him, Chris seemed to relax considerably and even formed the beginnings of a smile as she stared into his green depths.

Penny took his hand and gently led him over to the rest of his family. "Darlings, I've mentioned that Chris is having quite a difficult time with this situation, so I need your word that you will not push him." She waited for a nod from each head before continuing. "Good. Then one more thing. Chris has a question for you." She turned to him and nodded for him to ask.

Chris rubbed the back of his neck and mumbled hesitantly, "Um. Is Wyatt here?"

Of all of the questions they were prepared to answer, that certainly hadn't been one of them.

Tbc…

AN: Sorry this took so long to update, but I was away for a few days with no access to the internet. But I was so _thrilled _when I got back to find so many wonderful reviews & that you guys really like the story. That really makes my day, so thank you soooooooo much.


	11. He did it for me11

He did it for me

Chapter 11

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

₣-₣-#₭#₭#₭#₭#₭#₭#-₣

She was stunned by his words, and Piper had been prepared to answer any number of questions that might have included why he died; if they were working on the problem; how they were doing; what's happened since last night; etc. But to ask where her other son was? It seemed a little strange to her. But it did prompt her own concern for her oldest child. For the first time, she looked around and noted that he had yet to come home. In her own haste to get home last night, she remembered that he had appeared to be in a fog when he sought her out at her friends home. She knew how close the two brothers were, and after seeing the devastation in his face last night--she had reason to fear for his sanity. And with that, the world. She quickly thought back to the descriptions she held in the back of her mind of how he could have turned out, and in fact, did--in another timeline. What would they have done if it hadn't been for Chris coming back to save them all? She brushed that thought aside.

Piper's heart raced again. She had left Wyatt in the care of one of her closest friends outside of her sisters, who also happened to be more like family than anything else. Sheila would make certain that he was alright. Wouldn't she? He would be ok. Wouldn't he?

This was too much for the witch to handle and decided that as soon as she got both of her children back safely, she was never letting them out of her sight again. That is until they were old enough to get married. But even then, they would have to live in the manor with their new families. Yep, that's what she would do.

She somehow managed to stammer, "Um, I left him at Sheila's. He wasn't doing so great after, uh--last night."

Chris saw the new surge of panic in her eyes and he attributed it to her concern for Wyatt. He sighed as he thought of what a wreck the older boy must be. He was very familiar with the delicate nature of Wyatt's mental state under extreme duress—because he had seen him loose it before in his own timeline. He raised his eyebrow and voiced a simple, "Oh."

With a squeeze from Penny, Chris took a deep breath and regained some of his confidence, deciding that he would continue as planned. He just needed to stop thinking about them, even though they were standing right in front of him. He also decided that the best way to accomplish that was to take his mind of the subject by doing something that made him feel good. Chris had always wanted to get to know his brother when he wasn't evil, so he pushed aside any unpleasant thoughts and focussed on doing just that.

Tentatively, Chris' family began to approach him again and he bypassed them casually and decided to ignore them all together.

He headed for the attic door in search of the Twice-Blessed Witch as he disregarded their stunned faces.

Unbeknownst to any of them, Wyatt and Sheila had just entered downstairs into the foyer of the Manor, preferring to walk rather than orb in. He needed the added time to prepare himself. Immediately after entering, he sensed his younger brother and turned to Sheila with an enormous grin plastered on his face. "He's back." He grabbed her hand and quickly orbed upstairs to the attic.

Arriving in a swirl of orbs, Wyatt couldn't believe his eyes at the dark-haired teen that stood before him. "CHRIS!" He shouted as he crossed the small distance to the boy, oblivious to the warning shouts of his family to stay back.

The remainder of his family momentarily forgotten, Chris smiled broadly as his brother nearly tackled and enveloped him in his arms. He was positively elated. He couldn't remember the last time that his brother had ever shown any physical affection for him. Wyatt was just never the expressive type. And from looking in on this version of his brother from time to time, he got the feeling that he still wasn't. So for Wyatt to be holding him so tightly now, almost made everything he went through worth it.

As soon as Wyatt began to pull away, he thought that the blonde was going to relinquish his hold. But he surprised him when instead, he pulled him back in and kissed the top of his head, all the while mumbling he was sorry.

Chris laughed heartily and forced his way out of the strong vice-like grip. "Wyatt, bro. Stop slobberin' all over me. We're good, ok."

Wyatt kept apologizing profusely, "I'm so sorry, Chris. This is all my fault. If I hadn't—"

Chris spoke honestly even though he was referring to something much different than the circumstances Wyatt was apologizing for. Green eyes locked with blue as he replied seriously, "It's ok. I never blamed you for anything, Wyatt."

"Then, you're not mad at me?" he asked.

"Of course not. _You _didn't do anything wrong," Chris emphasized implying that someone else did.

Wyatt nodded gratefully. He tilted his head in confusion as he stared at his brother. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure? You seem, I don't know—different? What I mean is, I _sense _something different about you."

Chris glanced at his great-grandmother nervously before quickly improvising and bending the truth a bit. "Well. You know. Being dead kind of has that effect on a person."

Wyatt seemed to accept the response and replied sternly, "I promise, bro—it's not gonna' be permanent. I _will _find a way to fix this."

"I know you will." Chris smiled sadly at the determination in his eyes, knowing that as soon as he did, his time here would be over. And it would be back to the "holding pen" as he liked to call it. Or maybe he could finally go with his aunt, grandmother, and great-grandmother to wherever they went when they left him.

Penny smiled warmly at the two brothers. She was happy that younger boy had finally seemed truly happy for the first time in years. And she hated to break up that moment, but they did have another purpose for their visit, so she cleared her throat to interrupt. "Excuse me, boys? I hate to interrupt. But we still have to find out who killed Christopher if we're going to be able to get him back to you in one-walking-talking-and breathing-piece."

Wyatt boasted pompously, "Well that's easy. Because I killed the demon responsible last night. So what do we have to do now to get Chris back?"

Penny narrowed her eyes at his arrogance. She hated when he got cocky like that. '_Must be all that testosterone' _she thought grumpily to herself. Penny would never say anything negative out loud about her grandson, but she secretly thought it was a large part of the reason why they ended up in this situation right now. She placed her hands on her hips and replied smartly, "Now we just have to find out who hired him."

--------------------

Wyatt's jaw gaped open in shock as Penny's words registered in his brain.

Chris saw his expression and found it rather amusing. Having always wanted to joke around with his brother, he reached under Wyatt's' chin and pushed his mouth shut with an audible snap.

The Twice-Blessed grinned at his brother's antics momentarily before turning back to his great-grandmother in shock. "Hired him? You don't mean…"

The older witch raised her eyebrows self confidently, "That's exactly what I mean. Someone set your brother up. And if we don't find out who and why, it's not going to matter if we bring him back because he'll just be a target again."

Wyatt grew angry at the thought. He turned to his Godmother, "I knew I should have just killed them all!"

Leo spoke up worriedly, "Killed who?"

Sheila could see the distress forming in all of their faces and quickly added to settle their nerves. "He means the demons in the underworld. We took a little trip last night. "

Leo asked in confusion, "But how did you know who to go after?"

"I just went after them all."

Chris watched the gleam in those blue eyes apprehensively. He had seen it all to frequently in the version of his brother he had known all of his life. It was the reason he had come back to the past in the first place.

He remembered all to clearly how Wyatt had lost control after their mothers' death. It wasn't immediately apparent back then—barely noticeable, in fact. But it was there. And it had gown, slowly but surely. It had started as a quest for vengeance that had eventually led to a pleasurable past time.

His world had been destroyed all because of that little gleam. And if left unchecked, all of his hard work and sacrifice could very well have been for nothing.

Chris started to issue a warning, but didn't want the knowledge to reveal his identity, so he quickly closed his mouth. Maybe, he thought, he was fretting over nothing. But it didn't hurt to be too careful where the Twice-Blessed Witch was concerned. He moved away from the circle of family deep in thought.

Piper started to call after Chris but Penny stopped her with a "not now" look. Her motherly instincts were rearing to go, but she reluctantly agreed to give him more time. She turned her attention to her other son. He had seemed to be doing fairly well in the care of her best friend since she had last seen him. However, she was aware that the change was most likely due to seeing his brother again. "How are you doing, Wyatt?"

"How do you think I'm doing, Mom?" he asked incredulously, "My brother and best friend was just killed last night because of me. And if that wasn't bad enough, I find out that it's NOT THE FIRST TIME!" His raised voice drew everyone's attention toward him.

Leo caught the end of his words and gathered what the argument was about. He rushed over to the two and orbed with his oldest son and wife downstairs to prevent Chris from hearing any of the discussion.

In the kitchen, Wyatt shrugged out of his father's grasp and smoothly shifted to avoid her touch as he stared at his parents. His wide blue eyes shone full of hurt and betrayal when he asked, "How could you not tell us about him? About what I could have been? All these years—how could you have not told me everything that my brother did for me?" 

Leo stood over his wife as she reached back and locked hands with his for support. He blinked back the tears that welled in his eyes as he recalled how hard he had tried to forget the day his son was killed by his mentor. He had felt devastated by the event for years. But with each passing birthday of his youngest child, the pain gradually lessened. With Wyatt's accusatory words, it had returned full force. "Because we thought that it would be easier for you and Chris if you didn't know what happened."

"I had a RIGHT to know that!" his voice spoke vehemently at first, then suddenly drained of energy as his anger with himself returned. "And maybe if I had, I would have protected him better. He'd still be alive instead of hanging around in the attic with his life hanging on the line…"

"Wyatt, there was nothing you could have done to prevent this!" his father reasoned, "it was all too well planned. We've gotta' focus on that fact, son, if we're going to get him back!"

Wyatt clenched his teeth with barely controlled fury, "Whoever did this is going to pay. I intend to make sure of it." He glared at his parents one last time before heading back upstairs. When he arrived, Wyatt immediately joined his brother on the other side of the room.

Together with the rest of the family, they conversed animatedly and began brainstorming ideas on the conspiracy initiated against the Halliwells.

As Leo orbed Piper upstairs, he found everyone in the corner and joined them, preparing for the long day ahead.

Piper on the other hand, stood back watching her two sons in tears. They were both pulling away from her and things were rapidly spiraling out of control. All of it in the course of only a day, and she didn't know how things had gone so wrong in such a short time.

She headed over to join her family with one additional thought. Wyatt was right about one thing—whoever had caused her family so much grief was going to pay.

Tbc…

AN: Thank you for the reviews! They mean so much to me. They mean I update more often, and stay up later. And they mean I'll get less sleep tonight, and be tired when I go to work in the morning. But then you wonderful people will review and it'll be all better again:) I so hope you like it.


	12. He did it for me12

He did it for me 12

Chapter

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

₣-₣-#₭#₭#₭#₭#₭#₭#-₣

UNKNOWN LOCATION….

A female voice spoke warily, "I only hope that setting this chain of events into motion will not be the cause of our downfall…"

The man answered her confidently, "If we had not set this in motion, the world would surely have been destroyed. And where would that leave us?"

"You know the history. And if the Twice-Blessed Child falls because of this?"

"He is no longer a child, but a full grown man. He is responsible for his own choices—and if he falls—then it is through no fault of ours. Then it is simply his destiny to be evil, and that is something we can not change."

"Correct." The woman cautioned, "But if we must accept _that _as his destiny, then we must also accept that ours will be to perish. For he will surely take his revenge on those he deems responsible…"

The man stroked his chin considering her words thoughtfully, "Perhaps. But I would rather take my chances they way things are now."

--------------------------

HALLIWELL MANOR…

Chris had listened in amazement as Leo had explained the bizarre circumstances surrounding his other self's death. He found it hard to believe that someone would go through so much trouble to kill the boy. Sure, he knew that as the son of a Charmed One and an Elder, he was naturally more powerful than most other witches, but still no where near as powerful as their first born. So it didn't make sense to him why he would have been a target.

He turned to his brother, "Wyatt? Are you sure that the demon wasn't after you?"

Wyatt stared at the brunette strangely before answering, "I'm positive. It all happened so fast, but he shimmered in directly behind you. And he was only aiming _for you_. Not me." He closed his eyes sadly, "He even made a point to taunt me. He said—_mine for yours, witch!_ That's why it's my fault, Chris. When I was down in the underworld, I killed his brother. He told me then that I would pay for it—and I am. So he came back to do the same to me. They may be demons, but apparently, family's still important to them."

When he opened his eyes again, they were glassy as the water threatened to spill over his lashes. "So now you know the truth. Do you blame me now?"

Chris desperately wanted to cheer up the older boy and decided that levity was the best way to do it. He placed his hand on Wyatt's arm and began to lead him to the door. "No Wyatt, I still don't. But if it will make you feel any better, I'll be happy to take you out back and slap you around a bit."

Everyone looked on nervously to gauge the Twice-Blessed's reaction to the solemnly stated, but obviously teasing comment. When Wyatt began to laugh, the rest of the room shared in his amusement and joined him, all needing that small bit of relief after the trying and stressful night before.

Chris grinned widely as he got the reaction he was looking for in a much calmer and focussed Wyatt.

Wyatt was shocked by Chris's capacity for forgiveness, but knew he really shouldn't have been. His younger brother had always been the more easy-going and level-headed of the two. But he was glad, since he didn't know how to handle it if Chris didn't forgive him. He recognized Chris's comment for what it was—playful banter designed to cheer him up and eliminate the need for any further apologizing on his part.

After he stopped laughing, he accepted the hidden meaning and answered in much the same way. "Thanks, Chris. Maybe later, ok?"

Chris bowed gracefully, "Anytime. Happy to be of service."

Penny stepped in, "Wyatt, dear. I think his point is that we need to stay focussed here. We simply can not afford to have anyone here blaming themselves for what was obviously orchestrated by someone with a lot of power, and a lot of planning." She turned and looked pointedly at all present before continuing.

"Now, Leo. Let's start with the most obvious to narrow things down. Who has the power to hold off one of Phoebe's premonitions?"

"Actually, that's not one of the most obvious, because it can be a lot of sources. It can be the Elders. The Council for the Trials. An upper level demon. Even a powerful witch with the right spell."

Penny huffed disappointedly, "Fine. Well then, where do you get your orders to assign charges?"

"I never really know. It's all supposed to be random to prevent any favoritism. We kind of have mail slots that we pick up and it lists the charges, whitelighters, locations, and the time for the transfer. But it's always been like that, and I've been doing it since I became an Elder. And even before that, it's how I would get charges from other Elders. There was nothing different about this particular time, either."

Piper slapped her hands on her thighs in frustration. "So another dead end! Great!"

"Maybe not," Chris mumbled, "Who distributes the mail?"

Wyatt patted him on the back, "Now you're thinking. I guess all that "crap" as I like to call it is not for nothing after all, is it?"

Chris scrunched up his face in confusion, "Huh?"

"What we talked about yesterday—you remember? I think it's a big waste of time, you don't?"

Not having a clue what he was referring to, Chris began to panic and sought out Penny, who shook her head slightly signaling that she didn't know either. Facing Wyatt, he laughed nervously and shoved his hands in his back pockets. "No, sorry. Um—"

Wyatt stared at his brother incredulously, "How could you not remember that? It was only like," he looked at his watch, "less than 24 hours ago."

Penny spoke up quickly to save him from having to make something up. She pointed to her own head as an explanation, "His brain's a little on the fritz after what happened yesterday. Memory is one of the things that doesn't always come back right away when you die. You'll just have to excuse him. So here's what I think we should do--"

If anyone thought it was strange the way the Halliwell Matriarch jumped in and defended the teen for his strange behavior, no one commented. But Wyatt focussed on a few oddities that buzzed in the back of his mind, completely tuning out Penny Halliwell's plans. He was now convinced that there was something indeed different about the young man—and he was determined to find out what it was.

"WYATT!" his mother yelled, "Are you listening?"

Wyatt was visibly startled and stammered, "What-huh?"

Penny pursed her lips in annoyance, "Did you hear anything I just said?"

His eyes darted to every other pair in the room, who all looked at him with varying expressions of anxiousness and irritation. "Uhmm. No?"

"This is important, Wyatt!" "We need you here!" "We don't have time to repeat ourselves!" "Pay attention!"

Since several of the family spoke at once, he wasn't sure _who _scolded him with _what _comment. But he did hear when Chris spoke up afterwards in his defense.

"Everybody, calm down, please? There's no need to jump all over Wyatt." Turning to face his older brother, he reiterated, "Grams said that you and I should stay here since I can't go anywhere anyway. Mom and Dad are going to go up there to watch for whoever does the mail. They'll probably be able to lead us to who issued Dad's assignment. Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige are going to do some snooping in the underworld to see if they can get any info on the demon. Aunt Sheila's going home—"

"No I'm not!" She shook her head as she planted her feet firmly on the ground.

Piper tried to reason with her friend, "Sheila, thank you so much for looking after my son—but I can't take the risk of you getting caught in the middle of something really bad. I'd never forgive myself."

"That's sweet of you, Piper. But it's my decision to make. You guys are family to me. And this involves _my Godchildren. _I'm not leaving at a time like this when I know I can help somehow. Just tell me what to do."

Leo was grateful to the woman for her concern for his family and hugged her. He had initially been upset with his long-time friend for the fact that she had went against their wishes and told Wyatt. But he knew that she must have had an extreme reason to do so, and had quickly gotten over it. "Thank you, Sheila. For all you've done."

Turning to his wife hopefully, "An extra pair of eyes and ears couldn't hurt. Besides, she'd be safer with us than with Phoebe and Paige since they're going to the underworld."

"O..k." Piper muttered reluctantly. "Then I guess you're coming with me and Leo. And Grams—"

Penny didn't give the Oldest Charmed One a chance to assign her another task, since she wanted to go back to the waiting area and check on Christopher. "Has something else that she needs to check on. But I'll be back shortly." She stepped back into the circle and vanished. The others took their cue from her and orbed to their assigned destinations as well.

With everyone's departure, that left only Wyatt and Chris remaining in an attic that had been bustling with people only moments ago.

Wyatt turned to the younger man and asked him conversationally, "So. How've you been?"

Chris answered in the same manner, "Dead. Yeah. Yeah that pretty much sums it up."

Tbc…


	13. He did it for me13

He did it for me

Chapter 13

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: It's been a while since I've been sick & able to update, so here's a nice long one for you. Hope you like it.

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Paige landed in the underworld and quickly dropped her sister's hand. She shushed her sister with her finger as she listened to a conversation nearby. When she heard one that had mentioned Wyatt's destruction in the cavern the night before, she guessed that they would probably be familiar with the demonic brothers. She mouthed to her empath sister, _how many?_

Phoebe motioned seven and gave her baby sister hand gestures signaling a countdown to surprise the group of demons. When she reached one, they both jumped out at the unsuspecting group and began firing off their enhanced Charmed Powers, careful to avoid the demon that had spoken. Paige targeted the darklighter in the corner of the room who quickly materialized a crossbow, sensing the witch-whitelighter's presence. She didn't say a word as she thought of the weapon, and it immediately found it's way into her palm—much to the surprise of the unfortunate darklighter who was vanquished by his own weapon.

As two of the demons closed in on either side of her, Phoebe was glad that the powers she had once seen of her future self had finally taken residence in her body. It had been discovered years ago that her empathy would allow her to amplify any power—both natural and otherwise.

She rubbed her fingers together and created a tiny spark. A few of the demons watched her and laughed confidently at what they thought was her minute display of power. Their amusement soon faded as the static electricity she created with the tiny motion quickly generated a deadly stream of high voltage electricity. They turned to run, but she was faster and focussed the electricity on their fleeing forms, incinerating them on the spot.

When she turned, Paige already had the demon who spoke corned, while his cohorts had all either fled or been vanquished. She eased in front of him and decided to give him a further demonstration of their power, just in case he decided against cooperating. The empath mentioned to her sister casually, "Paige? I _really love_ that purple sweater you're wearing. Would you mind if I tried it on?"

The youngest Charmed One smiled knowingly at the familiar game they liked to play to intimidate demons. Her ability to mentally call for things on the molecular level had come quite in handy on several occasions. "Oh, do you? I like your red blousetoo. How about we switch?" She followed up her question by mentally swapping clothing with her sister right before the demon's eyes. The switch was instantaneous while he watched in wide-eyed confusion.

Paige leaned in closer to him, "You know I can move whatever I want—wherever I want." She pressed her ear to his chest and commented, "Are you nervous? Because your heart is beating _very _fast. But it's a little hard to hear. Do you think maybe if I hold it in the palm of my hand, I could hear it better?"

Phoebe clasped her hands together with a chipper expression, "That's a _great _idea, Paige. See! That's why I lent you my red blouse! Go for it!"

"NO-NO-NO-NO-WAIT!!! Whatever it is you want, I'll give it to you!" the demon begged quickly.

Phoebe dropped the false pretenses and began her interrogation. "You have a very big mouth. And we've found that a big mouth always goes hand and hand with big ears. You mentioned the witch. We know he was down here last night. We want to know what you saw."

"More specifically, _who _you saw. Who did he fight?" Paige added.

"The Korack," he mumbled nervously.

"And just who are the Korack?" the red head hissed.

The demon laughed despite the threats he was under. "Brothers. Two _very _stupid low-level demons. The morons actually thought they could go up against the Twice-Blessed Witch! It was suicide."

Phoebe questioned, "And why would that be?"

"Because they couldn't fight without tripping over their own big feet before yesterday! You know, they were always inseparable. Good thing too, because together—sometimes they actually almost won a few fights in the underworld. Almost…"

The two sisters shared a hardened stare as more fuel was added to their conspiracy fire. "And just where did they learn to fight all of a sudden—and what made them think they could win?"

The demon held his breath nervously, afraid he would be vanquished if they didn't like his answer. "I don't know. I swear—I don't know. The only thing I do know is that there was a rumor that they had gotten some kind of power boost from someone pretty high up."

Phoebe suddenly thought of another question, "This Twice-Blessed Witch—Do you know his name?"

"Of course. Everyone knows his name. It's Wyatt. Wyatt Halliwell."

"And what of Chris?" the empath drilled.

Cocking his head sideways, he asked in genuine confusion, "Chris who?"

"Never mind. This power boost they got—it was pretty substantial then, right?"

"Sure. It was enough to make them think they could take him on. Something they've always dreamed of, you know?"

Paige rolled her eyes at his response. "Yeah, a real Cinderella story," she muttered sarcastically. "And I take it you don't have a clue who it was that gave them this power?"

As the sisters relaxed, so did he. "Nope. But you gotta' hand it to them. They always had big plans. It's a shame. We were all even routin' for em' to do what none of us could." His eyes grew wide as he realized his slip.

The idea of someone cheering on the death of their oldest nephew set off both of the sisters. Phoebe rubbed her fingers and created a spark, but Paige lowered her arms and dragged her away.

Phoebe protested even while being pulled along. "What are you—I was going to—"

"Yeah, Phoebes. I know. But there's no need."

"But—"

"Trust me," the red head replied as she turned back to watch him shimmer away. "Have you ever wished you had eyes in the back of your head?"

"Sometimes. Just not literally, why?" she admitted.

Paige winked, "Maybe you can ask him what it's like next time we see him?"

"You didn't!"

"I did. And I suppose he'll be having a few other problems as well."

"Such as?"

"Use your imagination." The younger witch grinned. "So you want to snoop around a bit more, or go and see how Leo and Piper are doing?"

"I think we should try and find out more. Do you think Chris was right? That this had nothing to do with him? Maybe they really were after Wyatt?" Phoebe questioned worriedly.

"No, I think it's connected. They seemed too focussed on Chris. I mean, the demon went straight for him."

"Yeah, but this one didn't even know who Chris was."

Paige sucked her teeth in annoyance. "He's low level scum, Phoebe. Just because he didn't know, doesn't mean that this higher-up person doesn't know who Chris is. Just think about it—you give a couple of morons—who also happen to be brothers—this really awesome power. Then you sick them on a previously unbeatable opponent, knowing that he would most likely kill at least one, but not two with these new powers. So Wyatt vanquishes one and that leaves one very angry demonic brother. And what does he do? Returns the favor…"

Phoebes eyes widened at the theory, "So you're thinking that somebody used both Wyatt and the Korack brothers to set Chris up?"

"Exactly."

"Who could pull that off?"

"That's what we're here to find out. But I think a bigger question to ask would be, _why?_" Paige said as she held out her hand to orb to another location in the underworld.

--------------------

When Penny arrived in the waiting room, she found Christopher sifting through a pile of ancient looking books. Since he didn't look up or notice her presence, she focussed on her great-granddaughter. "What's he hoping to find in those old things?" she whispered.

Prue covered her mouth to hide her grin, "Nothing. I'm just keeping him occupied and out of trouble." She pressed her index finger to her lips and shushed her, "But he doesn't know that."

The older woman chuckled but admonished gently, "He's not stupid, you know."

Smiling proudly, "I know that. Quite the little book worm actually--takes after Piper. You remember how smart she was in school. But really, I think he's just fascinated by those old things."

"I take it since you set him loose in the library, he was becoming quite a handful?"

Patty joined the two and sighed rather loudly, "That's an understatement. He kept insisting how the family would know the difference—and then on and on with an endless string of questions about Chris. And, I just didn't think I should be the one to answer them."

Prue spoke up, "In other words, he was driving Mom nuts. I think he picked that irritating trait up from Phoebe."

Patty scolded her oldest daughter, "Don't talk about your sister like that. And speaking of your sisters; Mom—Did you find out anything? _DID _any of them know the difference? How was Chris? Is he ok?"

"Let's see: The family is off looking for clues; No they didn't know, just as I thought. And at first, Chris was a little spooked. He wouldn't let them near him. But he did ok after Wyatt showed up. You see--this is good for him. He even had a great idea of how to find out who gave Leo his orders."

Christopher walked up quietly to the group, having caught the tail end of their conversation, "But I bet Wyatt will figure it out. Even if the rest don't. He knows me better than they do. And then what's gonna' happen? I told you before you left, that you _had _to tell Wyatt if nobody else."

Penny shook her head confidently, "Wyatt won't know either, Christopher. Not until—and unless we tell them."

He smiled almost smugly before heading back for his books, "Then you don't know Wyatt as well as you think you do. Give him time. That's all he needs."

Patty listened to his words carefully and began to question their validity. "Mom? What if Christopher's right? How did Wyatt react?"

"There's no way. He—" she quickly thought back to Wyatt's questions and lack of attention span—possibly adding up to his mind working overtime on…

"He what, mom?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Halliwell Manor….

As his younger brother always used to be the one with the ideas and strategy, Wyatt turned to the dark-haired young man and asked, "Shouldn't we be doing _something _while they're gone?"

As his younger brother always used to be the one with the ideas and strategy, Wyatt turned to the dark-haired young man and asked, "Shouldn't we be doing while they're gone?" 

Chris shrugged his shoulders, "Not really. I don't think there's anything we _can _do until we find out who is behind this and why."

Wyatt nodded as he tried to get a read off of him. He purposely questioned vaguely, "Well, do you want to go finish the paper," he laughed as he thought of the computer screen flashing with nothing but the title and name, "I'm sorry—I meant, _start _the paper?"

Hearing his brother's laughter, Chris quickly joined in as he admitted his ignorance quizzically. "What paper?"

Wyatt smiled falsely as an idea formed. He reversed the facts to confirm his suspicions as he turned and headed for the door, "My economics term paper, Chris. Come on, you're the smart one. You were supposed to help me with it. And you know how important college is to me…"

Still having no clue as to what the older Halliwell was referring, Chris absently agreed and rushed to catch up, eager to spend any time with him—even if it was doing homework. "Ok, sure. But I don't know how much help I—" his words drifting off as Wyatt halted abruptly, causing him to bump into the back of his stiffened form. "What's wrong?" Chris asked hesitantly.

"You tell me." The blonde man answered as he turned and began to stare into deep green eyes.

Fearing discovery, Chris tried to reply with as much of the truth as he dared, "I told you, I'm fine. I'm still dead, but other than that--I don't know what you're talking about. You know, my memory's not so great right now."

"Yeah, why is that?" the older man countered.

Wyatt walked around Chris, studying him from head to toe with blatant suspicion. He noted no physical differences in his brother, but the partially empathic powers he had inherited through his wiccan bloodline, combined with his whitelighter senses, told him that there was something different—yet strangely familiar about the boy. He knew that if he focussed—dug a little deeper—he would be able to figure it out.

Unnerved by the blonde circling him, Chris was reminded of his own timeline when his brother would do the very same thing in an attempt to get a reading off of him—usually to test his loyalty.

Back then, the Twice-Blessed's natural empathic abilities had been enhanced by the demonic powers he had amassed, which made deception on Chris's part next to impossible. Up until that point, he had always been able to concentrate and block all thoughts and emotions from the older Halliwell boy when he wanted to. He concentrated and hoped that it would work now.

Chris fidgeted anxiously under the scrutiny as he yelled in frustration, "Wyatt, you're making me dizzy. WILL YOU STOP THAT!"

Replying calmly with a smirk, "I will if you will."

"Stop what?" Chris asked genuinely confused.

"Stop calling me Wyatt, for one thing!" he remarked in annoyance.

"But it's your name," he pointed out jokingly, hoping that amusement would again calm his brother.

Wyatt narrowed his eyes at the brown-haired teen, "And since when do you actually use it? You haven't called me _WYATT _since you were little and couldn't pronounce my name and you ended up calling me _WHAT_ all the time. It's been _WY _ever since. You remember nothing about any of our conversations—pretty convenient if you ask me. And you get nervous every time I ask you about you acting so weird. Add that to the fact that you know almost _nothing _about me, kind of makes me doubt who you say you are."

He advanced on Chris with what he hoped was his most menacing look, causing the wide-eyed brunette to back into the wall. "You may _look _like him. _Sound _like him. Even _act_—like him. But I know you're not my brother that was killed here yesterday."

When he grew close enough, he grabbed Chris's shirt collar and pulled him inches from his face, lifting the shorter man off the ground a bit. "I'm going to ask you—and be careful what you answer—you may be dead, but I can still make sure that you spend eternity someplace where the weather is a little on the hot side. Now. You wanna' tell me who you _really _are before I start to think that you had something to do with what happened to my brother?"

Tbc…

AN: Thank you for the reviews!!!! I love to check my in box & read your comments. It's so exciting!

Now what is that crazy boy up to??? LOL.

By the way, I thought it was kind of funny to upgrade Phoebe's powers like that. I got the idea since I'm always shocking people at work. Maybe if I keep rubbing my fingers together, I'll be able to fire off electricity to people that annoy me:) Like at one of my brothers?

And one more thing:

OK—I'M NOT EVEN A FOOTBALL FAN BUT SINCE THEY WEAR MY FAVORITE COLOR—(TEAL)—GO EAGLES!!!!!


	14. He did it for me14

He did it for me

Chapter 14 

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13 

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1 

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Not wanting to make a false move, Chris didn't dare struggle in the vice-like grip that had been warm and embracing only hours prior. He tried to reason with him, "Wy—come on, please—I can explain!"

"Oh, so--_now--_it's Wy? I'll give you five seconds to start talking. One—two—"

When the blonde showed no signs of releasing him, he knew his powers didn't work as a newly corporeal spirit and did the only other thing he could think of. Panting heavily, he mentally called for his great-grandmother. Moments later to his relief, his panicked gaze was torn away from steel-blue eyes by her voice.

"WYATT _MATTHEW _HALLIWELL!!!!" came the abrasive and extremely angry shout from behind him. "If you lay one _finger on that boy's head, so help me--I SWEAR _I will forget you are my great-grandson and wipe this floor with you!"

Wyatt then did something that surprised even Penny Halliwell. Sporting an enormous grin, he lowered him gently and pulled the tense young man into a hug. "Relax. Both of you. I would never hurt my brother."

Penny stalked over and yanked Chris out of his arms, putting herself in between the two just in case. "Well a minute ago, he was several inches off of the ground and you were convinced that he _wasn't _your brother. So forgive me if I don't trust you!"

Wyatt smiled sincerely and took a step forward, but stopped when Penny held her hand out and blocked his path. "I'm sorry. Look, I know it was kind of stupid," addressing the young man behind his great-grandmother, "but I just thought that if you're anything _near _as stubborn as the one I grew up with, there was no way you would admit who you really are. Unless of course—you were forced to."

Chris narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Wait. Who do you think I am?"

Wyatt laughed, "Can we stop with the games, Chris?"

Chris closed his eyes as he thought, 'Damn. Busted.'  
"So you know?" he asked the blonde.

"Yeah. I knew there was something different about you. I mean you _feel _like Chris Halliwell, just not the one I'm used to; and I sensed it was familiar—but I couldn't place it. So I guess I somehow remember you from when I was little. But I finally figured it out when I thought of _your _letter, actually. You said that you always pretty much called me—I mean, him--Wyatt, and that's what you've been calling me since you got here."

Chris stepped around the woman and yelled angrily—his arms flailing wildly, "So what the hell were you doing back there—lifting weights! YOU WERE JUST SCREWIN' WITH MY HEAD!"

Wyatt looked offended, "Of course not. I just wanted _you _to tell me and I knew you never would willingly. Besides, don't catch an attitude with me because it's no worse than what you just did."

"_WHAT DID I DO_?" Chris practically screeched.

Tapping his foot impatiently, Wyatt raised an eyebrow incredulously. "How about pretending to be a certain _other _Chris we know?"

"Yeah, well. I had good reason," he sniped.

"Take it easy--I believe you. Is he ok?" Wyatt asked worriedly.

Chris stalked off to the center of the room, searching for the candles before answering sullenly. "I guess you'll just have to find out for yourself."

Penny sighed and tried to clarify, "He's perfectly fine, Wyatt. I left him with your Grandma Patty and your Aunt Prue. That's where I was just now; I went to check on him."

Wyatt nodded and watched with concern as Chris stalked around the room and began reorganizing the candles. "Chris, what are you doing?"

He stopped momentarily to glare at the two older witches, "I'm leaving, what does it look like I'm doing. Oh but don't worry--I'll be sure to send back your _REAL _brother. You know, the one that belongs here. I knew I shouldn't have come back here."

Wyatt rushed over and grabbed his arm, "Why? Chris—stop. You are my _real _brother. You may not be the one I grew up with, but I don't consider you any less of my brother."

Chris snatched his arm back and glared at the older man, "Don't touch me! Because you sure as hell didn't think that a few minutes ago."

"Look, I said I was sorry about that. But actually, what I said was 'I know you're not my brother that was killed here _YESTERDAY_'. Ok, ok, look--I didn't mean it, honestly. I was just trying to get you to tell me yourself." He added to make the younger man smile, "Come on, Chris. I do stupid and impulsive things all the time. And I'm sure you know I've never been the brightest crayon in the box."

Chris couldn't help but crack a smile when Wyatt comically clasped his hands together and squeezed his eyes shut begging for forgiveness. He couldn't believe that the Twice-blessed Witch actually had a sense of humor. Not being evil had done wonders for his personality it seemed. "Well now that's not true. The Wyatt I knew was a genius, proven through many I.Q. tests, and not shy about flaunting it either. So that means you are pretty smart too. And if you're not, than it's certainly not because you're stupid—it's because you're just lazy. Am I right?"

Trying to hide his smile, Wyatt admitted "Maybe a little—but don't tell mom! So am I forgiven?"

Chris allowed a grin to escape, "I guess. But don't ever do that again!" His smile faded, "You reminded me too much of—you know…"

All traces of humor quickly fled from Wyatt's features. "I'm sorry. I would never really hurt you, you know that right?" He suddenly seemed nervous as Chris avoided his eyes, "No, I guess you didn't." He stuttered as he realized his mistake, "Oh man. Does that mean I--Did I-um. Would I. What I mean is—did he ever hurt you?"

"Doesn't matter. He's gone. They're all gone. Everybody I ever knew," he remarked with a blank stare.

Wyatt stumbled down onto a bench nearby. His face took on a greenish hue as he imagined the possibilities. Even though he wanted to give the false impression earlier, he had never even considered wanting to do any physical harm to the young man and couldn't imagine his other self doing so either.

Chris stared down at the older man wallowing in guilt, and immediately felt bad for saying anything. He tried to console him and replied brightly, "Look, it wasn't so bad. He was really only mad enough to try and kill me once. The rest of the time, it was never anything he couldn't fix—he had healing capabilities."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better! What kind of monster was I that would hurt his own flesh and blood?"

"It wasn't you," Chris stated calmly.

"But it was still me in another timeline!"

Chris shook his head firmly, "It wasn't him either. It was the evil that changed him. But it wasn't his fault. I always knew that the evil wasn't meant to be part of him or his destiny. You're proof of that. But I never blamed him for any of it."

"I must have been horrible. And then I guess I didn't think about any that. I'm so sorry, Chris."

"Well you—sorry, he--had his moments. Listen, forget about it, ok? And I said I forgive you for that little stunt, so don't go banging your head against the wall." Chris, grinning wildly, walked over and sat down next to Wyatt as he added, "You can't afford to loose any brain cells," which earned him an elbow in the ribs.

Penny had been watching their interaction carefully for the past several minutes. She had been secretly pleased that Wyatt had discovered his identity, and had still accepted Chris for who he was. She knew that ultimately, he needed that acceptance in order to be able to move on from his indefinite state of waiting. She laughed softly as the two 'boys' as she called them, continued to joke around and shove each other playfully before settling down into an easy camaraderie.

Wyatt scrunched his face up with a thought, "Oh man, I just thought about something scary. Did you ever change my diaper?"

Chris shared the same disgusted expression before finding the humor in it, "Oh gross—no! I had too many memories of you as an adult to do that. There was one time though, when I was babysitting you. And you—you know…Well, I just _wasn't _going there—so I let you sit in it until they came home from a vanquish. You whined at first—expecting me to help you out, but finally--You screamed so loud—that Piper came running in thinking that I was torturing you or something. It was pretty hysterical, actually."

Wyatt burst out laughing at his own expense as he imagined the scene. Settling down after a few moments, he decided to ask, "Why do you call her Piper and not mom?"

"Because she's not mom," he muttered quietly.

"But—"

"NO! _My _mom died the day I turned fourteen. And then my Aunt Paige, and Aunt Phoebe. Screw Leo—he was always a jerk! But that was my timeline. It doesn't exist anymore, and neither do they. I can never see them again."

"But they're alive!" Wyatt insisted. "Any they're trying to find a way to bring—"

"Your other brother back to life," Chris interrupted, growing steadily more agitated as he shot up and paced the floor. He began to rant, "They don't give a crap about me; never have. Your family—Piper included, hated me since the day I got here. They were CONSTANTLY yelling at me; CONSTANTLY kicking me out of the house; CONSTANTLY disappointed in me. You know, I came back before my time and when I screwed things up so badly that I almost didn't get conceived—I begged them to help me, but they didn't care! They even said that the only reason for my existence was so that I could come back to save you!"

"You were almost an only child because it was only by sheer dumb luck—and perhaps one really good f—"

"CHRIS!" Penny yelled to head off his very colorful language, but he only skipped over the word and continued on non-stop with his tirade.

"which is the only reason your brother was born at all. They only tolerated me after Phoebe busted me and told them who I was. Look at them now. They're all up in arms trying so desperately to find a way to bring him back. Why? Because Christopher was murdered and it wasn't meant to happen. Sure, that sucks and all—but when Gideon shoved a nine inch piece of steel through my chest—they just acted like it was story they heard on the evening news about a total stranger. It was like, 'That's a damn shame. Oh well, at least we still have the baby.'

Wyatt was astounded by the sheer amount of pent up anger that had been unleashed by what he thought was a simple question. He glanced up at Penny who shook her head telling him to let it go. He couldn't imagine what his family must have put him through to make him lash out like that. How could they not care about Chris? Wyatt didn't understand because he barely knew the boy and already loved him. He stood up to calm him, but his great-grandmother beat him to it.

"They didn't care if I made it back to the future or not. They were just glad to be rid of me!" He turned around in half circles, unsure of what to do next and unable to focus clearly through his watery eyes.

Penny Halliwell felt as if her heart were breaking in that moment. She could do nothing else but draw him to her, stroking his hair tenderly, "…no, Darling," she whispered.

"They were glad…" he insisted disconsolately. "They're all I have—and I don't really have them…"

Unable to stand witnessing his pain, Wyatt padded over to them and spoke up, "You have me, Chris. Listen--I'm not really good at this stuff—but you know I. Uh. Um. I love you, bro," he mumbled quickly with his head down.

"What?" Chris asked in surprise.

"Don't make me say it again," Wyatt warned him.

"You don't even know me."

"Not entirely, no. But I know what you did for me. And I know what you gave up for me--mostly. So when Aunt Sheila told me about you, I just kept thinking that I wished I could have gotten a chance to know you—when I was old enough to actually remember meeting you. And thank you for everything you did for me. So I'm glad you came, because now I can. And I understand how you feel, but there's just no way they can NOT care about you, Chris. Maybe they just need to be reminded…"

Tbc...

An: well? Was it worth the wait? I really hope so, because I worked hard on it—so let me know what you think? And I hated to put Chris through that (sniff), but it is supposed to be an angst story so he'll just have to deal with it :)

And did anybody notice the duplicated paragraph at the beginning of Chris & Wyatt's scene? Because I swear it was not there in the original when I uploaded it. can just be so screwy sometimes.


	15. He did it for me15

He did it for me

Chapter 15

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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Christopher was looking in on the dramatic scene at the Manor as he wiped his own misty eyes. He looked up as Prue patted his shoulder comfortingly. "His life was really that bad?"

Patty locked eyes with her daughter, silently agreeing to keep their responses to a minimum. "He's had a very rough time, Christopher, and has been through some terrible things. None of which, he has deserved."

"But I know my family, they wouldn't treat anyone like that—would they?" For the first time, doubt crept into his voice.

Prue admitted, "He may have said those things in anger—but unfortunately, much of what he said was true."

Patty still tried to defend her remaining daughters, "Prue, that's not fair—"

The younger woman quickly grew angry and defensive as she retorted, "You're right, it's not fair, Mom. But it doesn't make it any less true. You heard it with your own ears when they said that Chris wasn't meant to be. You saw how they didn't want to help him and practically avoided it at all costs. If _I _had been there—I would have done anything in the world to make sure that _My _nephew existed, even if it meant that I had to stoop lower than ever before."

"Her moral values wouldn't allow her to do just _anything _to make it happen. It just wouldn't have been right to make Piper and Leo--you know--and there's nothing wrong with that."

Prue folder her arms and snapped, "Oh _really_? Well, where were Ms. Phoebe's moral values when she abused her powers to find out who her future husband was going to be? Hmm? She, right along with the rest of them—picked and chose when they were going to break the rules. Only it never applied when it came to Chris. So, I really can't blame him for lashing out like that."

"Chris is just hurting right now, Prue. But that doesn't mean they didn't care about him."

"How is he supposed to know that, Mom? When everything he said is exactly how they acted? They never treated him like he was family even after they found out who he was. They had a sarcastic remark or called him a neurotic freak every single chance they got, while the others just laughed and agreed. Not one of them ever stopped to think of the reason he may have been like that. And to top it all off--Chris was murdered mom! And they all pushed it aside as if nothing happened."

Christopher had watched their argument with growing interest. The more he heard about his other self's life, the more he was saddened by what the young man had endured, and the guiltier he felt for all he had not. "He deserves to be happy," he remarked absently—bringing an end to their bickering with the one thing they agreed on completely.

Prue smiled warmly, "Yes, he does."

"What will happen to him?"

Patty answered this time, "When you go back home, he may decide to come with us now. And move on from this spiritual plain to where he belongs—where he'll finally be happy. We were just hoping that he would get some closure from being down there to be able to do that."

Christopher mouthed a very familiar looking 'oh', before turning away deep in thought. Their explanation didn't seem right or fair to him, and it was at that moment that he made a decision. One that he hoped wouldn't cause too much grief when the time came. He furrowed his brows and began studying the old tomes once more.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Chris shook his head, "No! Wyatt! You can't tell them. They hate me enough as it is. What do you think is going to happen when they find out that _THEIR _Chris isn't really here? That I tricked them—yet again about who I am? I'll tell you what'll happen—they're jaws will hit the floor—just a few seconds before they bounce me back up there on my ass."

Wyatt was unconvinced, "Nope. Oh, they'd be surprised. But then I think they'll start showing you the respect you deserve."

Chris had calmed down considerably with Wyatt's earlier declaration. Rolling his eyes sarcastically, "Yeah, and maybe hell will freeze over. They just can't see me as their son/nephew."

Wyatt questioned, "Why?"

"Because in their eyes, I'll always be the annoying whitelighter who came from the future and screwed up their lives."

"You didn't screw up anything, Chris. If anything, you made all of ours better." Wyatt smirked, "Because I'm a whole lot happier not being an evil tyrant. And as my family who is supposed to be a paragon of good—I should think that they would be quite happy about that too. See that's why I want to tell them. So they can thank you properly. I'll get mom to bake you her famous homemade chocolate chip cookies—I bet they're your favorite?"

Chris blew out a frustrated breath as he tried to get his brother to understand. "Wyatt—I don't want to tell them because I don't have much time here. And I don't want you to tell them either."

"Wy?" the older man quipped.

Chris glared at him pointedly for questioning him again, "Because I just finished explaining to you why, that's why."

The blonde grinned, having known exactly what the brunette was referring to. "I'm not asking you a question this time. I mean _WY. _You said you always wanted to call me that, and I don't mind. I would actually prefer it if you would call me Wy. Really. So you can drop the _WYATT_."

Chris blushed furiously at the apparent misunderstanding, "Oh. Yeah, sorry. But do you understand?"

"No. But I'll do as you ask. For now. But I have to warn you—I'm about as good at keeping secrets as Aunt Phoebe…"

Penny had been quiet until that point, but added her own to Wyatt's laughter at Chris's wide-eyed expression. She was glad that Wyatt had been able to pull the boy out of his somber mood and praised herself mentally for bringing him to meet the Twice-blessed Witch. And his playful teasing had helped to further draw him out of his shell—at least, she hoped he was teasing. 'This really is good for him!' she thought once more just as an orb trail began to form nearby. She clasped her hands together and shushed them quietly, "It's showtime, boys."

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Up there… 

Hearing someone approaching, Leo motioned to his wife and friend to duck down further in their hiding places to avoid being spotted. As the person drew nearer, from their vantage points, the three of them had all of the remaining angles in the room covered. There was no way that they could miss whoever it was placing the assignments in the mail slots that rested on the outside. This room had typically been off limits to everyone, save for the person distributing any recent news and assignments. It was highly against the rules to observe the comings and goings of the carrier. But then again, Leo rarely ever followed the rules since meeting the Charmed Ones. This time was no different.

Watching with interest, he noted with no small amount of surprise when the only real friend he had among the Elders—a long time supporter and advocate for Leo Wyatt and the Halliwell sisters—strolled into the forbidden room with an empty satchel. 'I had no idea that he did that.'

Wanting to get a closer look, he signaled to Sheila to keep an eye out for anyone coming. She nodded eagerly, having already been prepped on what to do in that event.

Piper waited for her signal to freeze the room, flicking her wrists out of old habit—something she tended to do when nervous. As soon as she felt the effects of her freeze, she nodded to Leo and headed for the door. As they entered together, both were astounded by the magnitude of the interior of the room that had seemed tiny from the outside.

"Whoa," Leo muttered as he took in the room that seemed to go on forever.

Piper stared in awe, "You can say that again. This place is huge. It would take weeks just to get to the end if you can't orb. Which way did William go?"

Leo took Piper's hand and orbed her to the younger Elder's destination. They stood back carefully, and eyed his frozen form. He appeared to be staring down at a sealed envelope.

Piper reached over and rifled through his satchel, "His bag was empty when he came in. Now there are several things in here. Where did he get them?" She pulled one out, only to have it snatched away before she could look at it. She frowned testily, "What'd you do that for?"

Leo pointed to the back of the envelope excitedly, "Piper, look at this."

"Well I was trying to, but _someone _just rudely snatched it out of my hand."

Leo ignored her attitude and waved the letter in front of her face. "This is an assignment. This is what they all look like when we get them—with one exception."

"And that is?"

"These have seals on the back of them. But by the time we get our assignments, these seals have been removed. We never see them."

Piper observed the seal and examined the emblem closely before handing it back to him, "It's got some kind of marking on it. Like a family crest or something."

"Or something. It's not a family crest, Piper. It's a symbol—signifying an Elder and Whitelighters given name, other than the name we're born with. We all have them."

Digging through the pack again, she asked "So you're thinking that the person who sealed it was the person who gave you your orders? Look, there's one on each envelope. Can you recognize any?"

Leo stared at each and shook his head with a disappointed sigh. "Even if the person who sealed it wasn't the one who gave the order, they probably would know who actually did. And No, I don't recognize most of these. But there are very few Elder's who know all of these symbols."

Piper nodded her head in the direction of William. "Well maybe _he's _one of them." Her voice was laced with mistrust, "I know he's your friend, Leo. But how do you think the seals get removed?"

He stared at the younger Elder, who had remained frozen under Piper's power. "You're right. If he distributes the mail, he's got to know."

"Should I unfreeze him so we can ask him?"

"No. Not yet. Let's hide first and see what he does. I want to see if he actually reads any of the assignments before he distributes them."

"And if he does?"

"Then he knows who set up our son."

"Even if he does know, what good will that do us? He already made it clear that he won't help us, Leo," Piper pointed out.

Leo took his wife's hand and stared at her with a deadly determination—prepared to do whatever necessary for his son, "Then I hope for his sake that he doesn't know, because I'm not walking away empty handed if he does. Friend or no friend. Our family comes first. Agreed?"

Piper's hardened expression matched her husband's before they orbed, "Agreed."

Tbc…

AN: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS!!!! You guys really make writing this worth it.


	16. He did it for me16

He did it for me

Chapter 16

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1; also I borrowed a few lines from the _Courtship of Wyatt's Father_ for a vision.

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As the orbs formed into his aunts, Wyatt stepped in front of his brother. For some reason he could not explain, he still felt a bit protective of the boy despite his own protests that his family would never intentionally hurt Chris. "Hi. Did you guys find out anything in the underworld?"

Phoebe crossed her arms and stared at the three, noting the fact that Wyatt had yet to move from his protective stance as both sisters made their way over to the trio.

In light of recent events, she had expected him to do that in case something or other should attack, but she certainly hadn't expected him to remain that way after he recognized them. She got a strange feeling when she looked at them—it was almost as if they were hiding something from her. Phoebe tried to probe the depths Chris and Penny's minds, but failed. There was no real surprise there since she wasn't expecting to be able to read the mind of the dead, but she thought she would check just to be sure.

Instead, she turned her attention to her oldest nephew. Now _there_ was a surprise. Because of the two Halliwell's sharing an empathic connection and bloodline, it was often enhanced to the point of sharing thoughts and images, along with emotions. She always told herself that she was just keeping an eye on him to ensure that he didn't turn.

As a result, Wyatt was used to this connection with his Aunt and was normally an open book to her and made no point of ever hiding anything. She had even found him amusing at times because he would be aware of her presence and quickly open up—often showing her some of his more intimate escapades with his latest girlfriend, which of course had the desired effect of her shutting down the connection flush with embarrassment.

This time, however, was quite different. He sensed her intrusion just as he had done on numerous other occasions. This time, he consciously blocked her out. The mental barrier that he had erected around his mind to keep her out was higher than she had felt before. Her heart skipped a beat as she wondered if that was how it started in the first timeline. And the knowing smirk that he gave her left no doubt that it was intentional, and sent a shiver down her spine.

The empath pushed her worrisome thoughts aside as she tried to hide her surprise with indifference, "We actually found out quite a bit."

Paige watched the interaction between the two empaths with interest, deciding that something had startled the older of the two. She would ask her later when they were alone. For now, she tried to focus on the problem at hand. "We think that what happened to Chris was no accident, nor a coincidence."

Chris glared at his youngest aunt angrily and replied sarcastically, "I hate to break it to you, but you knew that before you left."

Paige was momentarily taken aback by his venomous tone. Apparently, she thought, he was angry with all of them for letting him die. But his tone of voice was unlike anything she had ever heard from him, and directed at her. She frowned as he reminded her of someone else. "What I meant to say was that the Korack brother—the demon who killed you—well, it was planned. He didn't have the skills or the power to be able to pull that off."

Wyatt disagreed, "No, I fought them both. They were good. Not good enough to beat me, but I hadn't run into anything like that in a long time."

"But that's just it, Wyatt. They weren't. That's what we found out. Before yesterday, the Korack brothers were a couple of inept morons who couldn't fight their way out of brown paper bag. Someone gave them enough power to take you on. Only they knew they were giving them _just _enough power to give you good fight, but not enough for the both of them to win." She held up her fingers to show a small space in between them. "They wanted you to kill one of them."

"Why? If they were so unimportant? Why would anybody care if I vanquished one of them?"

"To make it less obvious when the other one came after Chris." Phoebe surmised.

Penny asked, "Yes Dear, but _who _gave these two brothers the power?"

The Charmed Sisters both hung their heads in embarrassment as they both chimed in, "We don't exactly know."

Chris glanced at the women smugly, "So in other words—you still know essentially _nothing_? Oh that's right—they were the Korack brothers. Cause you weren't down in the underworld for the last several hours finding out just their names. Nah..."

Wyatt elbowed Chris signaling him to let him handle the questions, especially since it was obvious that Chris had decided to hide his hurt behind a wall of anger and sarcasm. "This person was obviously very powerful in order to give them powers like that overnight. But since they are that powerful, why go through such a round about way of taking Chris out? There are certainly easier ways to do it—I mean, this was like trying to hit a moving target with a ricocheted bullet."

"Someone who enjoys a challenge?" Phoebe proposed.

"Or maybe someone who couldn't risk getting caught—and this way they even get Wyatt to take care of getting rid of the evidence—the Korack brothers."

Chris added testily, "Well—I don't think it would be a demon, because it would have to be an upper level demon. And they're not real big on secrecy. They simply wouldn't care who knew. The only other group I can think of that's powerful like that—are Elders."

Phoebe countered, "It's not looking good for them. But we don't know for sure that they're responsible for this."

Pushing his brother aside, Chris nearly shouted his response as he gestured in disbelief, "Why not? It's not as if the Elders are above murder if it suits them!"

She stammered a bit, now clearly upset as well. "I didn't say that, Chris. Honey, I know you're angry with us for not getting here in time, and I'm so sorry. Please—I don't know what else to say. I did everything I could, we all did…"

"You didn't do enough," Chris glared at her angrily before turning to stalk away. Reacting quickly, Phoebe wanted to try and explain so she grabbed his arm as he tried to pull away. She froze in shock as she was thrown into a vision while Wyatt grabbed her arm to see what she saw:

_They were in the attic just after Paige had blown up a potion. She sighed loudly in frustration as Phoebe walked in, "Maybe I'm trying too hard."_

"_Or maybe it just wasn't meant to be."_

_The younger sister admonished shortly, "Phoebe!"_

"_Come on, you weren't thinking the exact same thing?"_

_Paige replied quickly before she admitted, "No. Okay, fine, but for like a second. The point is Chris is meant to be."_

"_But not if he changed too much by coming here. You know, messed up his own timeline," the empath replied coldly._

_Paige tried to defend his life again, "We're talking about his very existence."_

"_Paige, I know, but there's only so much we can do," Phoebe replied exasperatedly. "Especially now with that Darklighter out there. I just think that we have to face the reality that Chris's destiny might have been just to come here and warn us about Wyatt, and that's all."_

He'd heard enough, and Wyatt was fuming. Feeling betrayed by his aunts for their callous responses toward Chris, he viciously pried Phoebe's fingers from the boys arm and shoved her away.

Phoebe stumbled backward dizzily, nearly tripping over her younger sister. Breathing heavily both from the shock and the strain of sharing a vision with Wyatt, she struggled to ask Chris, "How did you know about that?"

Being Twice-Blessed, Wyatt turned out to be the stronger of the two empaths and was able to maintain his composure from the strain, but only barely. He still felt a bit drained and breathed heavily as he accused her, "That was true? You actually said those things, didn't you?"

Paige helped her sister to a bench and looked up at the others. "What things? What just happened here? Would somebody please tell me what's going on?"

Phoebe hung her head low to avoid all eyes staring at her. She had always been ashamed of her behavior that day. Of how she kept telling herself that she was only playing devils advocate, but in actuality, was more than a little frustrated with Chris at his constant manipulation of them since his arrival. And when he tried to manipulate her into helping him one last time, she knew she was being obstinate out of an immature and selfish desire to keep him from getting his way.

It wasn't until after things had worked themselves out without any intervention from her, did she begin to feel foolish. He had worked her nerves like any typical teen or young adult, and as a mother—she was quite familiar with the tactic, but she had nearly made him pay for it with his life. She would always regret that day, and many more following. But she had thought she had gotten over it. So why now, was she having visions from the past? Continuing to stare at the floor, she muttered to no one in particular, "I-um. Saw something that happened in the past."

Paige was confused and tried to correct her, "Your visions don't work like that, Phoebe. You don't see things that happened in the past—only the future."

"Well it did yesterday. I saw what I thought was a premonition, but in fact Chris had already been killed. I think that whoever messed up my power in the first place didn't fix it yet. It's still working backwards. And I don't know why I saw that, but—"

"What did you see?" Paige kneeled down in front of her sister and questioned worriedly.

Phoebe looked up and spoke in a hushed tone, just loud enough for the Charmed One to hear her, "Do you remember—you and me here in the attic; almost 20 years ago; a love potion and—what we talked about?"

The red head's brow wrinkled in confusion for a few seconds before her eyes widened in understanding.

Tbc…


	17. He did it for me17

He did it for me

Chapter 17

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

* * *

Once they were safely hidden in the shadows, Piper unfroze the younger Elder who had called himself a friend to their family. She narrowed her eyes at him, silently debating that fact. She watched as his fingers glided over the back of the envelope, studying the symbol as he committed it to memory. William did indeed glance at its contents before whispering an indiscernible chant, effectively dissolving the seal before her very eyes. He placed it in its rightful slot before continuing on to the next one.

She caught Leo's eye with one raised eyebrow of her own, seeking the mutual agreement to initiate their plan. When he nodded, she froze William with a simple thought before joining her husband to stand by his side.

When William opened his eyes again, he was startled to find himself facing two very angry parents. "Leo? Piper?" he began, "How did you-what are you doing in here? You know this isn't allowed…" Leo's stony expression caused him to drift off uncomfortably.

Leo placed his hand on the man's chest to discourage him from moving, "We'll ask the questions…You answer them. And you answer truthfully," he warned dangerously.

Nervously, William relented and nodded vigorously. "What do you want to know?"

"For starters—why did you lie to me? You said you didn't know who was behind this…"

His gaze flickered nervously between the couple, "I didn't lie to you about that, Leo."

"But you did—you know who gave me that-" he hissed distastefully, "_convenient little _assignment. And that person is the one who set up my son to be murdered."

The younger Elder clasped his hands together fearfully, hoping to convey sincerity. "I swear to you, Leo. I _don't _know who is responsible for this. Not exactly."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that the only thing I know is who issued the assignment. But I thought I could help you without really helping you. I thought if I put you on the right track, that it would be enough for you to figure things out without having to involve me. I told you already—if they think I had something to do with helping you—they'll recycle my soul so fast your head will spin."

Leo leaned in formidably, his face hovering inches from the man's face. "WHO?"

"Head Councilman Matthias," he answered quickly.

Clenching his fists angrily, Leo was seething as he cursed, "That sonofab-"

Piper quieted her husband with a look, then turned and glared suspiciously at William, sensing that he had more to say. "What else?"

William seemed eager to talk now that he had been confronted. The words seemed to flow from his lips with ease. "I overheard Matthias and Raina talking this morning."

Piper interrupted, "…Councilwoman Raina?"

"Yes. I couldn't get close enough to hear much of what they were saying, but the only things I could hear clearly were "both of them" and "destruction of the world", and I quote. They orbed away as soon as I got closer. I assumed they meant Chris and Wyatt, but I can't say for sure. But they seemed kind of scared—almost like there was someone else pulling the strings."

"Let's go, Piper. We've got to go see a man about a job…"

William stopped them before they could leave, "Wait—you can't tell them that I helped you."

Despite his cooperation, Leo was still angry with his "_friend_" for what he considered aiding the people that murdered his son. Piper smiled up at him, knowing what he was thinking after spending so many years together. He turned back to William, "That just wouldn't be right. Tell them," he appeared to think about it, "—tell them I gave you no choice."

"They're not going to believe that!" he snapped.

Leo smiled almost sinisterly, "You're right buddy. You're gonna' need an alibi. You'll thank me for this later…"

William's eyes widened in realization of what the older man intended. He threw his hands up defensively as the electricity from Leo's fingertips came barreling toward him, painfully encircling his body until everything went black.

Piper smirked as she took her husband's hand, "Hmm. That's gotta' hurt. Do you think he's gonna' be mad when he wakes up?"

He raised his eyebrow as if to say, 'Do you think I'm gonna' care?'

* * *

Paige leaned in and whispered, "What do you suppose it means?"

Phoebe wrinkled her nose as she focused on the other side of the room, "I don't know. I just get these really strong feelings from him. I just wish my empath powers were a little stronger so I could get a better impression."

Paige rolled her eyes, "Well if his attitude is any indication of how he feels, then you don't need to be an empath to read it."

"No, it's more than that. When I look at Chris, I get these surges of negative emotions—anger, fear, and despair. And that flashback I had—how could he know about that?"

"It's possible that Sheila told Wyatt, and then he told Chris while we were down there."

Phoebe was adamant and shook her head, "No, I saw it as it actually happened—not as if I was hearing it from someone." Fearfully, she covered her mouth and grabbed her younger sister's wrist tightly, "I don't see any other way for this to be possible. Unless when he was killed, somehow it triggered the memories of the other Chris."

Paige bit her lip anxiously, "That would sure give him reason to be pissed. If that's true, what are we going to do about it?"

Phoebe sighed and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. While Paige looked to her for an answer, she tried to draw on her intuition and experience as an advice columnist. What would she tell her readers? Snapping her fingers as an idea formed, she took a deep breath and gestured with her hands while explaining her solution. "Ok, ok. Well, he's focusing on all the negative things of a life he didn't even lead—so we're just going to have to remind him of all the good things about _this _life. And how we'll get him back. And all that other stuff is just over—not important. Right?"

Paige nodded reluctantly, trusting her sister's advice. "Right. Then we've also got to tell Piper and Leo when they get here too."

As the sisters made their way over to the trio, Phoebe jumped right in with her theory addressing Chris. "Chris, I'm sorry about before. I think I understand what's going on now. You're remembering things, right? I don't know how this happened, and I know you're angry about what Wyatt and I saw in that vision—but none of that matters anymore." Ignoring the gasps of disbelief that were uttered all around her, and taking them as a sign that she was correct, she continued, "It's not important because you're a different person now, Chris—better—happier. You've got so much more going for you now and that you don't need to focus on any of those memories—because we will find a way to bring you back. I promise." She smiled encouragingly, totally oblivious to the stupefied and downcast look on Chris' face.

Wyatt huffed loudly, slapping his forehead for a universal symbol of stupidity. "I-I can't friggin' believe you!"

Penny glanced at the dark-haired young man, who looked decided ill and swore loudly, encouraged by Wyatt's outburst, "DAMM IT PHOEBE! OH FOR HEAVENS SAKE, I _swear _you can be so dense sometimes…"

Paige pulled her sister back into the corner to prevent her from irritating the situation further, "That went well. I'll tell you what-Let's leave it alone for now, ok? Let Piper and Leo handle it."

Meanwhile on the other side, Penny had dragged her great-grandsons to talk away from her granddaughters. She tried to calm both boys as they continued to glare in the direction of their Aunts. She called their names gently, but neither appeared to be listening. Resorting to physically grabbing Chris's chin to face her, she stared into the green eyes as she quickly calmed herself for his sake. "Chris—she doesn't mean that, my granddaughter tends to be clueless sometimes. And don't let Phoebe touch you again. We can't risk another vision-" pausing mid sentence, Penny's head shot up as if she were listening to something that only she could hear. Her markedly calm features were immediately edged with panic. "Wyatt—listen to me very carefully. Take Chris and get him out of the house. Go somewhere, just keep him safe."

Wyatt was startled by her sudden change in demeanor, "What? Why? What's going on?"

"—DON'T ARGUE WITH ME! _JUST DO IT!" _Her commanding tone was laced with fear that she tried unsuccessfully to hide. She gave in to part of his question guiltily, "Ahh—I've just heard from Prue. I've got to go back ASAP. And you've got to get him out of here. NOW!"

Chris was decidedly worried over her reactions, "But you said I couldn't leave here, Grams?"

She rushed over to the podium and grabbed their family heritage, bypassing the Charmed sisters who rose to their feet at her shouting. Dropping it in Wyatt's hands, she instructed the two boys, "Take the Book of Shadows—all Halliwell spirits are tied to _it_, not the actual Manor. Set up your shield and cloak yourselves with the spell on page 98. Summon _ONLY _me when you get where you're going, and I'll find you and explain. Now go! We don't have much time. Don't come back until I tell you it's safe."

Wyatt obeyed and grabbed for Chris, but he pulled out of his grasp.

"Chris, please—do as I say." she ordered again noticing him stalling. She feared he was going to protest until he wrapped his arms around her securely, refusing to leave until he was contented. She kissed his forehead gently, wishing him luck as he let go and held his hand out for his brother.

Paige and Phoebe stood by anxiously as they watched the streaming orbs dissipate until they were left alone with their grandmother. "What happened?"

"We've got a problem."

Tbc…


	18. He did it for me18

He did it for me

Chapter 18

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

€-€-€-€-€-€-€-€-€

Phoebe asked tentatively, "Grams? You talked to Prue—I mean, I didn't mean to eavesdrop—but I heard you from across the room."

Penny replied exasperatedly, "Yes. When she is in a certain location, I can hear her and vice versa. Now I've-got-to-go! There's something I have to do. Girls listen, I only got parts of Prue's message, because she was obviously distracted. But I do know that Chris is not out of danger yet. Apparently, Piper and Leo have stirred something up. I'm sure whatever is going on, they probably have a better idea than I do right now—so call them. But _do not-_under _any _circumstances—summon the Book back here because Chris will be vulnerable." She began to pull away and head for the circle of candles when Paige stepped in front of her crossly.

"Why did you send them away? And with the Book?" Paige questioned in disbelief.

Penny realized that she wasn't going to get away from them without some answers, "I can't explain why right now—I'm not entirely sure myself. But your sister told me that it was imperative that I get Chris out of here, and I trust Prue's judgment." She didn't mention that it was also because of the urgency in the young woman's voice when she received the message. She stepped forward, but Paige once again sidestepped her demanding an explanation.

"Piper and Leo are not going to accept that. They're going to want to talk to you when they get here—so, we'll just have to summon you right back here…"

"No. Because it won't do any good. You won't be able to summon me because I will just be called directly to the book—which is in Wyatt's hands right now. Trust me, when it is safe for Chris, I'll send the boys back with the Book of Shadows. Ok? Now I have to go."

Penny blew out a relieved breath when her granddaughters finally relented and gestured for her to leave.

The two sisters had no choice but to stand by passively at her departure. When they were alone, Phoebe turned to her sister and commented dryly, "Piper is going to hit the roof when she finds out. What are we going to do?"

Paige nodded in agreement before tilting her head in the direction of the ceiling and called out her response, "LEO!"

* * *

When Penny arrived at the waiting area, she surveyed the room cautiously, realizing that it was deserted. She wandered from room to room in a frantic rush, all the while searching and calling for her family that she had left only a few short hours ago.

Known for her iron-willed demeanor, Penny Halliwell's very presence had always resonated strength. She had never been one to panic in an emergency, and had always remained a pillar of calm composure. But something had shaken that foundation. The lack of a response to her calls, together with the of scare of Prue's urgent warning message, created a disturbing mix of unfamiliar anxiety for the matriarch witch. If her heart were alive and pumping, it would surely have skipped a beat—or two. "Prue? Patty?" she called again.

In the last room she had yet to check, she found who she was looking for. "In here, Grams." Her oldest granddaughter waved her over.

She rushed over and encircled the young woman in her arms, "Oh, thank heavens. Are you alright? What about Christopher, and your mother?" Holding her at arms length, she questioned "Prue, _what _is going on?"

The younger witch ignored the questions in favor of her own, "Did you get Chris out safely?"

"Yes, of course. I sent him away with Wyatt," she huffed impatiently, "now answer my question!"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Prue finally answered. "Good. Cause it's all over—for both of them—if they find him." Her eyes darted around nervously before she continued. "They took him, and Mom latched on to him, I supposed to keep an eye on him. A lot of good that will do."

"Christopher?" the name rolling off her tongue in a hushed whisper, "Who took him?"

"Yeah. Some of the Elders. I don't know why. But I heard them talking about how they needed _both _of them in order to end something. They were being really vague, and they seemed really nervous about something. Ok, actually—nervous isn't quite strong enough a word—it was more like scared. And I don't think that they were afraid of anyone finding out what's going on."

"Prue. Just tell me what happened."

Prue tossed her hair over her shoulders in her signature worrisome motion before recounting. "A little bit after you left, I headed for Chris's room and left mom and Christopher in the library…"

_-  
Earlier…_

_Patty crossed her legs delicately as she sat down on the couch, silently observing Christopher pouring through the texts vigorously. She tilted her head curiously trying to determine what he was writing down so furiously. Finally, she had enough wondering and decided to ask him outright. "What are you doing, Christopher?" _

_He was so absorbed in his work that her question left him at a loss for words momentarily. He glanced down at the books, almost willing them to call out an answer. "Um. There's a few really interesting things in here, and I'm just getting some ideas for a few spells—uh, for when I get back home."_

_She approached silently and peaked over his shoulder for a glimpse. _

_He slammed the book with his notes shut with an audible thud to prevent her from seeing. As she narrowed her eyes in suspicion, he tried to recover and offered a hasty explanation, "I don't like anyone to see my work before its done. I get self-conscious about things like that—I'm a perfectionist. I get it from mom."_

"_Uh huh…" she answered in a disbelieving tone. Eyeing her daughter, Prue also shook her head in mutual agreement before wandered off._

_Nearing the end of the hallway, Prue spun around suddenly at the familiar sound of orbing in the library. She cursed under her breath while racing back in the direction she had come. 'Damn', she thought as she remembered that she no longer possessed any powers for defense. Unfortunately, all that she had had been transferred to her baby sister when the Charmed Ones were reconstituted after her death. She skidded to a halt in the doorway and quickly ducked back out. Thankfully, none of them had seen her—but she saw them, and there was nothing good to be seen. _

_Inside, the spacious library was crowded with Elders and even several Whitelighters. Until today, Prue hadn't known that many even existed. And it seemed as if they were all here. Her eyes widened in surprise, 'Were those demons? On a spiritual plane!'_

_She poked her head back in as she listened to the conversation taking place within the library's walls._

_Patty shouted in outrage demanding to know what was going on, but her questions went unheeded as the focus was directed to her grandson. _

"_Christopher Perry Halliwell?" came the question. The boy rose to his feet as a female Elder pointed at him haughtily. _

_He gulped nervously as a number of Elders, Whitelighters, and Upper Level Demons alike surrounded him, cutting him off from Patty, "Would you believe me if I said no?"_

_She dismissed his wry statement with a wave of her hand. "It matters not, we know who you are. Where is the other?" she demanded urgently._

"_What other?" he decided to play dumb, knowing very well who she was referring to. But her tone of voice, and the fact that the room was swarming with unwanted guests that most likely meant him harm—allowed him to answer no other way. _

_Coldly, she asked again, "I warn you. Answer truthfully, or my methods will not remain pleasant."_

_Christopher replied with a confidence he didn't really feel. "In case you haven't noticed, Lady. But I'm dead. You're threats don't mean a hell of a lot to me."_

_Her lips curled slightly in what he assumed was meant to be a smile, but seemed deceptively false on her porcelain features. It was unnerving. "Your soul hasn't crossed over yet, Christopher. Therefore it is still subject to many of the physical laws of nature. Namely, pain. Again, where is the other?"_

_He fidgeted slightly under her penetrating gaze, but remained true to his original response, "And I told you, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know what an 'other' is…"_

_The only indication that she was disturbed by his response was a slight twitch of her jaw. She nodded to the brute demon on her left, giving him the permission that his gleaming eyes anticipated._

_Despite her warning, Christopher was quite surprised to feel the excruciating pain radiating into his shoulder blade as the demon wrenched his arm behind his back. He thought he faintly heard his grandmother yelling his name as his head was slammed into the table he had been sitting at only moments ago. But it could have been the blood rushing to his head. He wasn't really even sure if he had blood anymore. But one thing was clear—he still had pain—plenty of it. He bit his lip to keep from crying out as his arm was nearly pulled out of its socket. "I—DON'T—KNOW!" he repeated._

_When Christopher's vision cleared slightly, he accused her breathily, "You're supposed to be a pacifist! What the hell is wrong with you?" _

_The Elder closed her eyes in silent defeat. She knew she would get no worthy response from him at the moment. "Hell has nothing to do with it. Our actions are born out of necessity." "Take him," she ordered before directing all present, "Search every room." When no one moved, she added reassuringly, "Do not be alarmed, he WILL be found. And we will we have them both. Then we will finally bring about an end to all of this."_

_Patty struggled in the grasp of the Whitelighters that held her at bay. Finally yanking herself free, she tried to pull the brute demon off of Christopher, but ended up being shimmered away with them at the Elder's orders. _

Prue continued, "That's why I was in there hiding when you showed up. I had to stay here to warn you about Chris. They're looking for him. Desperately. And I don't know why."

Penny hugged her granddaughter again tightly; probably more for herself than to comfort the young woman. "They can't hurt your mother, she has already crossed over. And Wyatt will protect Chris for now, until we figure out what to do."

"I know. But Christopher, on the other hand…" she began to fidget with her fingers as she left the unspoken words to hang in the air ominously.

Tbc…


	19. He did it for me19

He did it for me

Chapter 19

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

€-€-€-€-€-€-€-€-€

When the two boys arrived at Wyatt's chosen destination, Chris immediately recognized his surroundings. He had spent a few short weeks hiding out from his brother's minions at the cabin; at least in his future. His Uncle Darryl and Aunt Sheila had secretly purchased the remote property in the mountains of Utah to get away from Wyatt's dominion. Though there was in actuality no real place on earth that hadn't been considered as his, he still had areas that he had considered insignificant and undeserving of his attention. It was remote, undetectable, and most importantly—unknown to most. Which is exactly why the cabin had appealed to the couple in this timeline, and exactly the reason that Wyatt now chose it as well. "We'll be safe here, even Mom and Dad don't know about this place yet. And since it's getting late, we should try to get some sleep soon so we'll be ready just in case…" he told his younger brother as he rushed around the cabin flicking on the lights and fireplace, making sure they were alone.

As soon as he verified that the room was secure, he raised his shield and extended it to encompass the interior of the cabin. Quickly flipping through the pages of the Book, he found and recited the spell he had been directed to. He frowned in consternation when the shield flickered for a moment before vanishing entirely, having never before seen the blue boundary disappear. Except when it was inactive. Though it was strange, he thought, because he still felt it.

Wyatt raced over to the exit and flung open the door, then hesitated as he gingerly poked his fingers through the open space. His lips curled up into a smile as he was stopped by an invisible barrier, but the feeling of familiarity told him that it was merely his own shield. "Alright Grams!" he muttered to himself in appreciation of her cloaking spell. He spun around excitedly, "Chris! Look at this!"

His expression now devoid of the gleeful air, Wyatt called the boy's name in concern, finally taking notice that he had yet to move from the spot they landed in. Approaching cautiously, he followed the green-eyed blank stare directed at the crackling embers of the fireplace.

As the flames danced off the reflection in Chris' eyes, bright with unshed tears, he noticed that the hue of their color was remarkably different in the last several hours. Darker, and most assuredly more intense. He knew that his own tended to change when he was distressed, but he had never even detected a hint of anything affecting the brother he grew up with so strongly. But the green eyes before him now, spoke volumes of untold pain and horror. And he knew what had caused this latest affliction. He cursed his aunts name under his breath quietly.

Wyatt touched his forearm, calling the young man's name again, "Chris…I know she didn't mean it."

"I told you they hated me," came the soft-spoken response.

"No, Chris. It's just—"

He turned around to face the older man slowly, "That I'm not him. Never will be."

Wyatt tried his best to offer comfort, "It doesn't matter," he began, then cursed himself as he unintentionally repeated the very words that brought up the issue.

Chris replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "That seems to be a popular phrase these days. But you're right, and so is Phoebe. _It doesn't matter. _I don't matter. You heard her Wy—there's a better version of me out there. Just waiting to be saved." The bitterness he had initially felt at the situation was gone, only to be replaced by a saddened acceptance. He turned and headed up the stairs for one of the second-level bedrooms. "So you need to go do that, Wyatt. Don't worry, I'll stay here, out of the way for now while you go take care of getting him back. Maybe finding out what's going on."

Wyatt blew out a frustrated breath and orbed in front of the retreating form, "The others can take care of it. I'm not worried about that right now! I'm worried about you! If Grams of all people was scared enough to want you out of the Manor, then this is serious—you're in real danger!"

"Wyatt, whatever _"big-bad-boogeyman" _is out there to get me, well—it's not as if it really matters in the grand scheme of things. I'm dead, man; have been for a very long time. Besides," Chris turned away, "I don't belong here." He added quietly reflecting on his original future as he sat on the steps, "or anywhere else for that matter…"

"Chris—why are you being so stubborn?" he asked as he dropped down on the step above his brother.

"Because this is not _my life_, Wyatt. I'm glad that I saved you. At least I did something right. I mean, look at you—you're happy, _he's _happy, the whole damn family is happy now too. But there's no room in it for me."

"You're acting like you think you're worthless. Like you don't mean anything to anybody. But it's not true, and you're the only one who seems to think that it is!"

"Maybe you don't, and maybe Grams doesn't either. But the rest of them? I would guess that they would have cared if I lived or died if I really _did _matter to them." He stared pointedly at the Twice-Blessed witch and asked with a hint of sarcasm, "Don't you think?"

Wyatt sighed before answering, "What I think is that they would care about you just the same as their Chris if they knew who you were. They're just acting kind of stupid right now because they don't have a clue. Give them a chance. When we go back, we tell them who you are…"

Still unsure, Chris questioned "And if they still don't care?"

"Well that won't happen. Trust me, it'll be alright—I'll make sure of it. But for argument's sake—you get to yell at me—kick my ass—tell me I told you so—dress me up in a pink tutu and take a picture so it'll last longer; hey whatever you want. I won't stop you…Deal?" Grinning from ear to ear, Wyatt held out his hand hopefully, looking to settle their pact with the age old method of agreements.

Chris looked up into the crystal blue eyes that showed nothing but sincerity and decided that unlike his version, he could trust this Wyatt. He accepted the outstretched hand before nodding reluctantly. "With ballet slippers too?"

"If you can find 'em in my size…" Wyatt answered commenting dryly and raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Chris snickered at the blonde, "You see, that's one thing about you that's still the same…"

"What" he asked curiously.

"You're still obsessed with the size of your uh—feet."

Wyatt locked his hands behind his head and leaned back confidently, "Hmm. Can I help it if I'm a ladies man? With devilishly good looks," patting his stomach, "rock-hard abs…"

Chris laughed heartily, recognizing his brother's attempt at lightening the atmosphere again. "Conceited much?"

"Shush. I'm not finished." He batted his eyes dramatically, "…and to top off the whole package-a natural born angel…"

Still laughing, Chris again headed for the second level. He made it obvious that he "accidentally" kicked Wyatt playfully on the way up, mumbling an insincere apology before darting away. The motion having the desired effect as Wyatt gave chase, and missed him by mere inches as the door was slammed in his face.

"Hmmph," he grunted. He reached for the door as he heard the lock clicking into place. Wyatt shook his head at the absurdity of the action as he orbed onto the bed inside of the room. "Unlike some people," he taunted, "_I can still orb_. And I know you raced up here to claim king-sized bed, but since I'm on it—you're out of luck."

The brown-haired witch crossed his arms and glared at the other, "Oh, come on Wy? I toss and turn in my sleep…"

"No. I'm taller than you. I need more space to stretch out."

"Oh, fine. I guess I'll just have to suffer the indignity of a twin bed. I hope I don't fall off and hurt myself…" he added with wide, sad eyes.

Wyatt rolled his eyes at the lame attempt to make him feel sorry for him. "You're such a martyr," he voice laced with sarcasm.

He sat up, "Hey, and seriously—there's nothing we can do until Grams shows up with an explanation, so get some sleep. But whatever is out there after you—some "big-bad-boogeyman" as you call it—no heroics, ok? Let me take care of it. I don't want anything happening to you."

Chris waived his hand in dismissal and scoffed before heading to his room, "She's probably just over-reacting. I'm already dead, Wy. It doesn't get much worse than that."

As Chris flicked off the light, Wyatt laid there until his vision adjusted to the darkened room. The boy's words lingered in his mind, '…it doesn't get much worse than that,' and he couldn't seem to push down the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "I hope he's right."

Tbc…

AN: I just wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed so far—it's so thrilling to open the emails see your encouraging words. You guys are wonderful!

And, I'm back in school so updates may be a little slower now—but I'll try to finish the story soon, so please bear with me. Thanks again.


	20. He did it for me20

He did it for me

Chapter 20

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: There's _a lot _of interrogations going on in this chapter. So _somebody's _gonna' get to the bottom of something:)

€#-€#-#€-#€-#€-#€-#€-#€-#-€#

_Earlier…_

Sheila was crouched down behind a shelf, her eyes darting nervously between the only exit and the double doors that held her friends inside. She bounced her head up as they emerged, her words running together anxiously, "How-did-it-go-did-you-find-out-anything?"

Leo was still seething as he thought of the Elder, his name rolling off his tongue as though poison, "Matthias." Seeing she did not recognize the name, he elaborated, "Head of the Elders Council. The one who's been trying to get me to leave my family for years. We're going to have a little _talk_ with him."

"Then let's go," Sheila answered eagerly.

Piper spoke up, "I think you should sit this one out. He's a very powerful Elder, and if cornered, possibly very dangerous."

Sheila refused to back down, "Not compared to one of the worlds most powerful witches and an Elder—who also happen to be the parents of a murdered child. I think I'll be safe with you guys."

Leo nodded his head in acquiescence, but Piper held her ground. "I don't think its a good idea and we _really don't _have time to argue about it."

She jutted her chin out defiantly, "Fine. Then lets go and stop arguing. Look, you're going to interrogate him right?"

"Yes, but—" Piper drawled out reluctantly.

Sheila smiled as if she had already won, "But nothing. See, I knew I came along for a reason. Piper, I'm a trial attorney. He's liable to be very cagey. Maybe I can get at him a little more tactfully, because if the two of you charge in there as angry parents ready to fight, he may clam up. So let me at least try, please?"

Piper rolled her eyes and looked to Leo, who only shook his head seeming to think it was a good idea. She knew when she was beat. Her friend was just as stubborn as she was. Instead of responding verbally she extended her hand gesturing for the woman to lead the way.

Sheila smiled happily, finally getting the opportunity to really help her godchildren. She spun around suddenly realizing that she didn't know where she was going. "Uh, Leo?"

"Right," he said before sensing for the head Elder and taking the lead. Finding him, the three orbed just outside of his office and decided to surprise him, mutually agreeing not to tip their hand until they were sure he would be of no further use.

"Hello Matthias," Leo said masking his anger with a forced smile.

The Elder glanced up in surprise from a journal he was writing in. "Leo—what are you doing here? I thought you would be home planning services for Christopher? You know, you are welcome to take as much time off as you need…"

He clenched his fists trying to reign in his temper. He felt that if he were to respond, he would reach across the desk and drag the older man across it. Turning to his wife, he noted that she was fairing no better. Perhaps it was a good idea to bring Sheila, he thought, as she maneuvered her way past them and offered a handshake and introduction.

Matthias took the proffered hand, momentarily taken aback by her presence. Quickly schooling his features, he questioned the couple about it.

Sheila smiled back warmly in an attempt to lull him into a false sense of security. "Matthias, may I call you that? You see, the family is having a difficult time coming to terms with the situation, and well—they're just trying to find some meaning to it. And I thought maybe if you could use some of your power and influence, you know, to find out why this had to happen to such a wonderful young man, they would be able to accept it better and move on. It's what any parent that has lost a child wants. Peace of mind. As it is now, they're beside themselves with grief and turmoil. And speaking as an objective onlooker, I don't see how they could possibly continue their jobs effectively without some type of closure."

"I don't see what I could possibly give them that would be of any use."

She clasped her hands together and pleaded, "As you can tell from their expressions, Piper and Leo were reluctant to ask for your help—especially in light of your earlier refusal. But they're not asking you to bring Christopher back. Maybe this was meant to be."

He searched their eyes for any sign of deception, while Sheila watched a flicker of doubt cross his face before relaxing in the relief that he was still unsuspected. She decided to push harder. "But I convinced them that in order to grieve, they would have to understand. Please! They need this. If you know anything—anything at all—even if you think it may be unimportant, or just even a smidgen of information as to why. It may be enough to help them understand so that they can come to terms and accept it."

"What is it you're looking for?" Matthias asked confidently.

"A prophecy maybe? Something you may have heard—hearsay even. Just anything…" she asked sounding hopeful.

He decided to give them a small portion of the truth, not enough to clue them into his duplicity, but enough to hopefully make them go away. "Leo, Piper," he began, "Please don't be angry with me because I only found this out just this morning—through an ancient scroll. I was going to tell you, but I thought it best to wait until you had some time to grieve. Anyway, Christopher's name was not only mentioned, but it also described his time traveling exploits. Bear in mind, that this was written centuries ago by several different prophetic sources. And it seems as if they all concurred that young Christopher, though extremely important to the future of the world, was always destined to die at a specific age. His destiny was and always has been to time travel and save the world in doing so. His time was to be short-lived, and the nineteen years you have known him—was in fact an indirect result of the necessity to be born. Had the Christopher that came from the future ceased to exist before he had accomplished his destiny, all would have been lost. Please, you mustn't blame yourselves—unfortunately, his future was set; there was nothing you could have done to prevent it—the age of nineteen was always to be Christopher Perry Halliwell's time."

Piper glared at the man, "Well then that scroll is a lie. Chris from the future was twenty-three when he died, almost twenty-four. That means he managed to live a good _five _years longer than predicted—so it wasn't set in stone. Try again."

"Not according to the scroll…How do you that he was twenty-three?"

"He told us," the dark-haired witch answered.

The Elder allowed a bit of smirk to creep into his features, trying to hold back his natural urge to gloat. "But as I understand it, there were a lot of things that he said that weren't quite true?"

Leo had had enough of the man practically boasting his involvement, and then thinking that they were naïve enough not to see through his lies. He got the feeling that there may have been some truth to the man's words, but how much, he wasn't sure. He looked to his wife, and finally to her friend before silently reaching an agreement to take their questioning to the next level. He allowed a smirk of his own to grace his lips as both women took a few steps back. Now he could finally enjoy their little _talk…_

* * *

_A short time later; location unknown..._

A bit disoriented from the shimmering, Patty wasn't sure where she was when they landed. Swinging her fists, kicking her feet, biting even—any method of defense she had, she used against the brute demon refusing to relinquish his hold on the teen. "LET HIM GO!"

Despite her fierce struggles, the brute demon didn't even flinch after each hit. However, he was beginning to get annoyed. Holding Christopher with one hand, he reached out and flung her to the ground with the other.

Infuriated and ready to charge him again, she hissed through clenched teeth, "Leave him alone!"

The booming voice growled back at her as several whitelighters again restrained her, "Or what?"

Her retort was abruptly cut off by the sounds of orbing. Patty twisted around as best she could to see who had arrived. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded angrily.

The female Elder responded simply, "Because we must." Addressing the demon, she nodded her assent, "You may go, Arel. The others whereabouts must be ascertained—at any cost. Interrogate him as you see fit."

Patty heard this and struggled harder, "NO! You leave him alone!"

Christopher inhaled sharply. The Elder's icy words alone would have been enough to strike fear into his heart, but it was the malicious grin sported by the brute demon that nearly drove him to panic. Furiously, he tried to fight his way free and ignored the stabs of pain that crept up his arm. His heart leapt quickly as his wild struggles gained him a bit of leverage and he began to pull free.

The brute demon quickly squashed Christopher's hopes of freedom with a forceful punch into the boys spine, flooring him instantly. He decided to end any further attempts, and deftly wrapped his large hands around the slender neck.

Christopher had to fight his own mind to remember that he was already dead, but it certainly didn't feel that way as the air was cut off from his lungs. He felt himself teetering on the edges of unconsciousness, and he thought that he must have been at least close to the delightful bliss. But as fate would have it, it seemed that he was far from it.

As if he had read his mind, Arel loosened his grip and grabbed the back of his shirt to pull him up off the floor. "You can't get away that easily, boy. Your body's not quite alive any more. Not quite dead either. Which means you can't pass out. Which also means we've got a lot of time on our hands. Eventually, you _will _tell me what I want to know…" he said venomously before shimmering them both to another location.

"He's just a boy," Patty pleaded with the Elder as she stared at the spot where her grandson had been standing.

"He is _anything but_, Ms. Halliwell. You may have the answer I desire. If you wish to tell me where the other is, I can call Arel back and stop the questioning right now. Otherwise…" she left the threat for the woman to ponder.

The mother of the Charmed Ones glared angrily, "You're barbaric!"

"No. I'm not. Arel, however—_IS_, which is why I chose him for this task." She pushed the woman aside, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have things I must attend to." With a flick of her arm, the brown-haired witch could be heard cursing the Elder loudly as she was sent to an unknown location.

One of the whitelighters that had remained fidgeted a bit before asking nervously, "Is this really necessary, Raina? He's a child."

She looked surprised before her face was washed with a fleeting look of guilt, "By our standards, yes, I suppose so. And it is unfortunate. But our very survival depends on complying with his demands. You know what is at stake here. Why do you question the necessary means?"

"You're right. I'm sorry. I will continue the search," he agreed reluctantly before orbing away.

Raina shook her head in disapproval after the Whitelighter left. She only hoped that none of the others got cold feet as well. They couldn't afford to have anything else go wrong.

Tbc…

AN: Thank you sooooo much for the reviews. I'm glad that you guys seemed to be interested in it. I finally finished with the homework—for now. So I decided to write until my heart was content;) I hope you like it. BTW, I'm trying to decide if I should let you on to who is really behind all of this in the next chapter or 2. We'll see:)


	21. He did it for me21

He did it for me

Chapter 21

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Note—one curse at the end of the chapter.

AN: I've been so bad and left you with many terrible cliffhangers lately-sorry, couldn't help myself;)

But I swear—I'm going to CA meetings (cliffhangers anonymous). So to make up for it, they said I had to at least let you know-_who_, if not _why_, in this chapter. Yes, this person does have a plan. A dirty, rotten, evil, sinister—you get the point—plan.

And how about a reunion?—yeah, you know what I'm talking about. Next chapter if you want it…

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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Ear piercing, shrilling screams could be heard outside of the door. But no one was around to hear it.

Inside, he still tried to defend himself. His body would not give up.

The angry mother froze selective parts of his body, blowing up extremities and sucking her teeth irritably at being forced to share the destruction against her husband's power of electricity.

"Please understand," Matthias begged breathlessly, "We had no choice in the matter."

"EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE!" Leo yelled angrily.

"NO! If hadn't offered them both to him, he would have destroyed the world. I saw the scroll, and I know it to be true!"

The couple shared a worrisome glance, but only Piper voiced her concerns, "Wyatt? Wyatt is in danger too?"

Matthias looked surprisingly startled at her question, "Wyatt? No. He's proven himself as a force of good for the time being. No. I referenced your other sons."

Leo raised his arms threateningly, hissing a response dangerously, "I'm giving you till the count of _five _to quit playing games, Matthias. We only have _two _sons. Chris. And Wyatt." Holding the other man's gaze as he called his wife, "One. Two. Piper."

She answered with her hands raised, blowing up one of the Elder's arms, allowing just enough time for it to reform before Leo struck it with a lightening bolt. The two knew being blown up was _extremely _painful, but to be blown up and immediately electrocuted in the same spot was doubly so.

Matthias howled again, trying his best to writhe in pain to shake off the feeling. "YOU SAID FIVE!" He cursed that damned woman under his breath as she deftly kept the rest of his body frozen in position.

Leo replied nonchalantly, "I lied. Learned it from you. Now are you going to stop with the games, or are we going to play them some more? Because I think I'm better at it."

Breathing heavily, he managed to stutter out, "…Chri..Christopher…"

Piper warned him, "You said _BOTH OF THEM!_"

"Yes, but I meant _BOTH _Christophers."

Leo's hands dropped to his sides in shock, "What?"

"Both the one that you raised and the other one. The one from the first timeline…"

Piper shook her head in denial, "No, that's not possible. His timeline doesn't exist anymore, so he wouldn't exist either. There can't be two of them."

His body now fully reformed, Matthias regained some of his cocky behavior and laughed absurdly, "All this time, you're telling me that you _didn't know_? I am utterly astonished—that you are not as intelligent as you claim to be."

Unsure, but also unwilling to believe the man completely, Leo's voice faltered, "But he died in my arms. And then I saw him disappear…He's gone…"

Piper, on the other hand, never quite believed that Chris ceased to exist and expressed her theory, but began to shake with doubt, "No, he died at the same time I gave birth. He was simply reborn."

Matthias confirmed confidently, "No, he simply was _not_. He has remained dead for the past nineteen years. You are close-with your grandmother? Because Penny was aware of his—status. And I am quite sure she's visited you on several occasions over the last two decades. She didn't tell you?"

Sheila stood in the background, warily eyeing the distraught parents. They seemed to be loosing focus in their questioning, and she decided to continue for them. "Who wants them and why?"

The Head Council member purposely ignored the mortal's question, instead focusing intently on the two people in the room that could—and currently were—doing him bodily harm.

Piper noticed his hesitation and ordered him to answer; to which he shifted nervously and whispered the name as if afraid to mention it, "I-uh—well. It was Julius. And he has to have them both, but I'm not sure why—"

Leo suddenly grew enraged again, "You sentenced my son to death and you don't—even—know _WHY_?"

The older man backed into a corner fearfully, "We _had to_, Leo. He was going to destroy the world if we hadn't allowed it. He _demanded _we give them over…We had no choice…"

"You always have a choice, Matthias. And you chose to murder my son. Now who is this, Julius?" Leo questioned.

Piper gritted her teeth, the very name infuriating her. She asked in disbelief, "Destroy the world? Right. He doesn't have that kind of power. I should know."

"Who's Julius?" Leo asked again impatiently.

"Yes he does. It was in the scroll! He could do it! I read it with my own eyes." Matthias reasoned.

Shaking her head in denial, Piper retorted, "I don't care what you read. Since I used to be one, I know for a fact they _DO NOT _have that kind of power! And as head of the Elder's Council—you should know it too!"

Tired of being ignored by all in the room, Leo threw a lightening bolt at the desk in front of him and exploded it in frustration. "DAMN IT! WHO IS JULIUS AND WHERE CAN I FIND HIM TO KILL HIM?"

Piper placed a restraining hand on her husband's bicep to calm him, "You can't kill him Leo. He's already dead."

Leo's patience had waned, and he glared at her until she elaborated. "Who is he, Piper?"

"He's an Angel of Death. More specifically—the one who made me one right after Chris was born."

Sheila gasped as she recalled that incident well. She remembered how distraught she had been when she heard on the news that her best friend had simply dropped dead in the middle of the street. And because of the feud between her husband and their family at the time, she was hesitant to go to them for fear of rejection. When Darryl had come to her that same night and informed her that Piper's death was all an elaborate hoax, she didn't believe it for one moment. But she didn't care. She didn't want to loose them—any of them. That was when she gave her husband an ultimatum that they mend their relationship with the Halliwells—their extended family.

She vowed then that she would always support her extended family in whatever they needed. The Halliwell's would always have a friend in her—and whenever she was needed. Seeing their lack of focus as they debated quietly amongst themselves over the validity of the Elder' statements, brought her to the realization that she was needed now.

Sheila again redirected the questions, interrogating the man as if he were on her witness stand, "We would like to see the scroll you are referring to."

"I don't have it. He keeps it each time after we've seen it. He's always kept it."

Sheila's mind hung on one word, refusing to let go until she brought it to their attention, "What do you mean, _always?_" His sudden squirming clued her in to the depths of the Elder's duplicity, causing her eyes to widen in disbelief. "You've been planning this since the day he was born nineteen years ago, haven't you?"

Matthias looked rather nervous as they closed in on him, and quickly made excuses that he hoped would earn him a reprieve, "Leo—that's why I've been trying to get you to become a full time Elder—I knew how painful it would be for you to loose your youngest, and it was inevitable. You see, I was only looking out for your own interests."

"My own interests?" Leo asked in disbelief, letting out a hollow laugh, "Will you help me get my son back?"

"I can't Leo. There are some things that must be done for—"

"The greater good, right? Yeah I've heard that line before. And it's still bullshit." He turned to his wife and friend with a raised eyebrow, who nodded in approval of his silent question; both seeming to agree that the man could offer no more.

Leo leaned in, his blue eyes transforming into a steely gray color. "Matthias? I told you conditionally that if you tried to stop me from getting my son back, that you would pay with your life. But that was before I found out that you're responsible for what happened. You're not fit to be an Elder. So now the conditions have changed…"

Ear piercing, shrilling screams could be heard outside of the door. But no one was around to hear it.

Inside, he still tried to defend himself. But this time, his body gave up…

Tbc…

AN: yeah, I know. Another one—right? But I'm going to the CA meetings…I'll try to do better next time, ok? And I have no idea if Julius is really his name, but it sounded right for my story. Next chapter—let's see what Chris Wyatt are up to, heh?


	22. He did it for me22

He did it for me

Chapter 22

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: I know I said I would deal with Chris and Christopher and Wyatt in this chapter—but I decided to break it in half until I finished with their part. Anyway, I really hope you guys like this—cause I've been working on this chapter for the last couple of months—and I'm soooo excited about posting it. The first part of the family's reaction…

P.S. I'm still not gonna' tell you why;) Yeah, those CA meetings are _so _not working for me. Because sadly, the story will be almost over when I do finally tell you—but what I will tell you—is that in nearly every chapter I've written so far, there has been a clue working up to the reason (and it's usually in/near the cliffie). There's been some important facts that some of you have hit in your reviews—but I don't want to give too much away…:) and oh my goodness—is my AN a cliffie in itself? I really gotta' get to that meeting:)

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Standing outside in the hallway waiting for Leo, Sheila watched her friend trying to control her shaking. She led her over to a chair, calling her name softly to get her attention. "Piper? Honey? He had to do it. If Leo had left him alive, he would most assuredly try—and possibly even succeed—in keeping us from getting Chris back."

Piper's head shot up, her brown eyes swimming in salty tears. The words caught in her throat, "I don't care about that. What if? What if he wasn't lying? That Chris—That Chris wasn't—part of—my Chris?" Her voice now came in shallow hiccups, "That he was just—out there…alone…"

She rose to her feet the second she heard her husbands footfalls. His own legs shaking as he approached, he shared her grief and concern as the water cascaded down his cheeks. He entwined his fingers in her hair, pulling the woman to him tightly in an attempt to quiet both his and her wracking sobs. He didn't know how he would ever forgive himself if it were true. Was Chris truly a separate soul that they hadn't even bothered to mourn all of these years?

"Oh, L-eeee-o," she drawled out. "What have we done? How could we have not known? What if he's been out there?"

Leo shook his head furiously, as if the action would lend truth to his denial, "It can't be…It just…can't be. It's not possible. He was lying. Matthias was lying. That's it."

Though Sheila didn't want to believe it either, she began to recall their meeting in the manor attic just hours earlier. Chris' reaction didn't seem right. 'He didn't remember anything…'

Leo looked up to his friend, "What?"

Sheila was startled and hadn't realized she had said her last line out loud. But since they had heard it, she may as well repeat it clearly. "Chris—at the Manor. He didn't remember anything. He backed away from us, like he was afraid. And Angry. I know you don't want to hear this, but—the Chris you raised doesn't have any reason to react like that. And maybe—" seeing the terrified looks in their eyes made her stop her train of thought. If it was the truth, then they would have to deal with it. But, she decided, not until they had proof. She changed what she had intended to suggest, "Look, I don't know. I think we should talk to Penny first…"

Pulling apart, Leo cupped her face in his hands before reaching down and gently stroking it with his thumb, erasing the tears while Piper did the same for him. He kissed her temple before he nodded and reached for the other woman's hand to orb them all home.

Without another word, they orbed back to the attic, where Phoebe and Paige were eagerly awaiting their return.

Phoebe jumped up in relief, "Oh, thank goodness. Maybe you can answer what's going on…"

Piper ignored her frantic babbling, her eyes scanning the room before she raced out the door ducking her head into every doorway she could find.

Following her lead, Leo orbed through the house in search of the one he couldn't sense.

Paige and Phoebe remained still, sharing a dumbfounded expression.

The younger of the two lifted her hand to her hip, "Did they just blow us off?"

The empath shot her an irritated glance, "Looks that way doesn't it?" She suddenly became aware of a third person in the room and turned to face her, "Sheila? What just happened?"

"You could probably save them some time if you told them where Chris was," the woman replied bluntly.

Phoebe replied evasively, "Yeah, see, I can't tell you that. By the way, what did you find out?"

"What do you mean you can't tell me?" Sheila bristled, "He's my—"

Sensing her friend's irritation, Phoebe held her hands up in mock surrender. "Whoa, it's not that I don't want to tell you. It's just that we _don't know. _That's what we had been trying to tell them before they flew out of here like a bat outta' hell. Something was going on—and Grams sent him away with Wyatt, and then she left too."

Her eyebrow arched in confusion, Sheila asked, "I thought he couldn't leave here?"

Both sisters rolled their eyes, but the younger spoke. "Yeah, because in the last quarter of a century, it just slipped her mind."

"What?"

"Oh, just a little piece of information that Grams neglected to mention in all of these years that she's been coming here. You see, apparently, Halliwell spirits are summoned to the Book of Shadows, _NOT _the Manor like we thought. So they go where the Book goes if summoned. So that means we've got a problem…"

Sheila shrugged not understanding the problem, "Well where's the book?"

Paige tilted her head and smiled sweetly, "With Wyatt."

"So where's Wyatt?"

Twirling her fiery red locks with her index finger, she answered, "With Chris…"

Sheila began to get annoyed at the woman's evasiveness, "_And where's Chris?_"

Paige whispered conspiratorially, "Hence the problem," then yelled, "WHO THE HELL KNOWS!"

Scratching her forehead in frustration, she added, "Wyatt's got his shield up wherever he is and I can't sense him for some reason. We even tried scrying. No luck. Maybe Leo can-"

Piper crashed through the attic doorway again, running her fingers through her waist length hair. She mumbled to herself and gradually got louder, "I can't find him! I can't find him! HOW CAN HE NOT BE HERE! LEO!"

Blue and white sparkling lights coalesced into her husband's form. His eyes searched hers hopefully, but she shook her head frantically, "Me neither," he supplied to her silent question.

Piper seemed to notice her sisters in the room for the first time, and addressed them shortly, "Where is he?"

Phoebe shifted nervously under the older woman's glare, "I don't know, Piper. That's what I was trying to tell you when you got here…"

"What happened?" Leo asked worriedly.

The empath answered and babbled incessantly, making all in the room who listened even more confused, "there was this weird premonition…Prue said something…Grams gave them the book…she rushed them out…then she left"

The three new arrivals looked to Paige anxiously for a more coherent explanation, "Don't look at me, I was here _and I didn't even get that."_

Paige grumpily instructed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Slower this time Phoebe, from the beginning-in complete sentences-please?"

Taking a deep breath, she began again. "Sorry. Look, guys—this is going to be hard to accept, but I know it's true. I had this premonition when I touched Chris, and Wyatt saw it too. Only it wasn't a premonition. It was of something that happened in the past—just not Chris' past because he hadn't even been born yet, or actually even conceived yet. Before you guys had got stuck on the ghostly plane, Chris—the other Chris, had asked us to help him get you two back together so that you could—you know…make him? Anyway, Paige and I had been talking—and I kind of mentioned that since we were having so much trouble getting it to happen, that maybe Chris wasn't meant to be born. And Chris kind of walked in and heard it. Please don't be mad Piper, it obviously wasn't true…"

Phoebe shrunk away from her older sister, fully expecting to incur the infamous Halliwell fury knowing how defensive the woman could be when it came to her children. She looked up in surprise as the only emotion on Piper's face appeared to be despair.

Instead of an angry shout, Piper let out a small sob as she reached out for her husband's hand. Her sisters words confirmed in her mind the existence of both Chris'. Two entirely separate beings contradicting her long time belief in just the one.

One glance in Leo's direction told her that his mind had reached a similar conclusion.

Phoebe studied her sister and brother-in-law carefully and furrowed her brow in concern at their stunned faces and the mountain of emotional turmoil that was being directed her way. At the lack of response, she shared a questioning look with her youngest sister intending to continue, but was interrupted.

Sheila once again stepped in for the couple, filling in the void of silence where she knew would be flitting with questions in any other circumstances. "What happened after the premonition?"

Paige answered this time, "Well. Wyatt and Grams got really mad at Phoebe. Then she got some kind of telepathic message from Prue, then ordered Wyatt to take Chris out of the Manor and hide somewhere safe until it was all clear. She said he could take him wherever the Book of Shadows went—and don't ask me where that might be—because I haven't a clue where Wyatt would go. We couldn't scry for him. And I can't sense him—he's blocking me off somehow. Can you, Leo?"

"No." he answered despondently. "I guess Wyatt hates us now too."

The red head shook her head adamantly, "No, he doesn't. Granted, he was a little upset about the vision, but he'll get over it—just like Chris will."

Phoebe jumped in proudly, "Exactly. The anger Chris is feeling right now isn't his. We think when he was killed yesterday, the first Chris's memories got transferred to him somehow. But he's got a much better life to look forward to now, and I explained that to him. Those old memories aren't important any more, and once he's had a chance to mull it over and reflect on the good things he has in his life, I'm sure he'll be his normal cheerful self again. When we fix this, he'll bounce right back—I'm sure of it!"

She paused momentarily before asking Piper, "Are you alright, honey?"

Leo pursed his lips tightly, trying to hold back his temper. Only seconds passed before he exploded, his arms flailing and pointing in the empath's direction. "PHOEBE! Can't you ever just keep your mouth shut for once! He _HAS _the first Chris' memories because he _IS _the first Chris, Phoebe. And you just got finished telling him that that everything he's ever been through has been insignificant—AND—if that wasn't enough of a blow—you OH SO efficiently reminded him of everything he _DOESN'T _have."

Tbc…


	23. He did it for me23

He did it for me

Chapter 23

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

AN: This is a Chris & Wyatt chapter.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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"Wy-att," came the whispered voice in a sing-song voice. Having found sleep to be far out of his reach, the blonde turned over alertly to face the intruder who had just entered his bedroom. His eyes attempted to adjust in the darkness to the figure that now crept through the barely open doorway.

He was just about to sit up, when the figure suddenly moved as stealthily as panther, and pounced on him much the same way.

The wind forced out of him, he grunted in surprise, "What are you doing?"

"I couldn't sleep," Chris whined as he sat on Wyatt's chest.

"So what, you thought it would be easier if you found yourself a nice Wyatt pillow?" he asked sardonically.

"As soon as you figured out I wasn't a threat to you, you used to do it to me all the time," Chris pointed out.

"Yeah, but I was 2 years old and 20 pounds—you weigh a ton!" He shoved him off playfully, laughing when he heard the younger man hit the floor with a resounding thud.

Chris sucked his teeth as he climbed back up on the bed, "Well 20 pounds is a lot of weight when you're just lying there sleeping, and some _little brat _decides to orb and jump on your lungs."

"As opposed to a _big brat _who weighs a ton?"

"Hey, I called your name and gave you warning first."

Wyatt reached around him and flipped the switch on the bedside lamp. "So you couldn't sleep either, huh? Were you worried about whatever is going on?"

Chris squinted in the light, but shook his head and replied honestly. "No. I told you before, I'm already dead. So I'm not worried about any of that, even if Grams is."

Worry lines creased the older boy's features, "Then what's bothering you?"

He shrugged, his facial expression devoid of any emotion, "I just wanted to bug you some more."

Wyatt had started to laugh at the thought of Chris unable to sleep through his desire to harass him; that is until he realized what the dark-haired boy was really saying. "You mean, while you still have time."

Chris looked down at the floor nodding, "Every minute I spend here just gets me closer to—" he sighed heavily, "well I don't know what it gets me closer to. I just know my time is running out and I didn't want to waste it sleeping. I never really got a chance to know you. And you seem really cool. Like I always thought you would be."

Chris looked on nervously, trying to get a reading off of the expressionless face. Giving up, he dropped his hands to his thighs and stood up to leave, "I'm sorry, you're probably tired."

Wyatt reacted quickly and tugged on Chris' arm, dropping him back on the edge of the bed. "Don't be, I'm fine. Chris whatever, and whenever-it happens, you'll still be able to come back—just like Grams does. And I would be really mad at you if you didn't."

"Well then I guess you're just going to have to be mad at me, because there is _no way _they would ever let me come back. Look how long it's been for Aunt Prue, and they still won't let her see her sisters yet. Think about it Wy. You really think that with your Chris here, they would even consider letting me come back."

Wyatt conceded reluctantly, not knowing if what the younger man said was true, but unwilling to let the opportunity to do the same slip through his fingers. "Ok. For now. How about we make a deal? You get to know me, _only _if I get to know youYou go first. So what did you want to know?"

Chris bounced excitedly, "What's your favorite color?"

"Black", Wyatt deadpanned.

The glint in his brother's eyes and a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth made Chris doubt the answer. He remembered the evil version's color of choice and remarked in irritation, "That's not funny. That's all he ever wore. And you see what happened to him."

"I didn't mean it to be. I'm serious. I happen to look good in it. Can I help it if I still have taste?"

He pointed to the blue-green shirt that he wore, "It's not what you're wearing now."

"I never said that was the _only _color I liked. You asked about my favorite. Come on Chris, you asked me, and I answered honestly. I can't help it if you don't like the answers you get. Now it's my turn. You said that's all he ever wore. What about when he was little? You can't seriously tell me that mom let him get away with a one-color wardrobe."

Chris laughed and relaxed a bit, leaning back on his elbow. "No, she tried. But every colored item she picked, he just ended up orbing it all over the world or destroying it with an energy ball if he didn't like the piece itself. If he liked the clothing, just not the color—he would simply do a spell to turn it black."

Wyatt raised his eyebrow, "And mom and dad never found that odd?"

"That's two questions. My turn…" Chris grinned as he led them further into delving into each other's personality and experiences.

'_-'_

_Hours later…._

Both were pretty satisfied at all they had learned from each other, but Wyatt had held off asking one question that had been bothering him since he read the boy's note at Sheila's. He decided to forego any hesitation and finally asked a little timidly, "I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but please—do it anyway for me ok? When I read your letter, one thing kept jumping out at me. You said you used to have to dodge energy balls from him and stuff like that. I guess what I'm trying to ask is—what kind of stuff and why did he do those things?"

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Because I never want to be like him. I _can not _imagine ever intentionally wanting to hurt you, and I'm trying to understand how he could. Is it something that's apart of me, just waiting to come out? Chris, why did you come back to save me if I—sorry—he was so cruel to you? Please don't feel like you have to spare my feelings at all, because I really need to know."

The dark-haired teen shifted a little uncomfortably while he debated whether or not to answer the question. But the pleading and fearful look in the Twice-Blessed's eyes made the decision for him. He couldn't deny a request like that when it obviously meant so much to him.

Growing up, all Chris had ever wanted was the love and acceptance by his older brother. He had it from the rest of his family, mostly, but his brother was always different. Despite the brotherly bond that Chris knew existed because he himself felt it, and therefore knew that Wyatt had as well, the blonde had consciously denied it. As a result, the older of the two had always been cold and distant towards him. He used to think that his older brother hated and resented him, but his mother had always told him not to be sad over it because Wyatt couldn't help it. He had been like that ever since something terrible had happened to him before her youngest was born.

For years, Christopher Perry Halliwell did every thing in his power to please the Twice-Blessed Witch, within reason of course. But nothing ever seemed to work. It wasn't until he began to take over the world that Chris finally realized that the only way to change his brother was to go back and stop that terrible event from ever happening.

He took a deep breath, recalling his reasons. "Because there were times when he gave me hope. I always knew that there was a connection between us, but he chose to ignore it—most of the time. There was this one time I remember when I was seven. I hadn't learned to orb yet, since-Leo was never around to teach me. Mom and the Aunts had taken us on a picnic near a lake, I don't remember which one, but…"

_…Finishing his sandwich, the little boy looked up, his eyes covered by a mop of dark shaggy hair. "Mommy, I'm finished. Can I go and play with Wyatt now?" _

_Piper smiled gracefully at her little angel. She always thought that he had the most gorgeous sage-green eyes that she had ever seen, and she wanted to see them again. Stroking the hair away from his tiny face, she bent down and kissed the tip of his nose. She giggled when he squirmed out of her grasp, insisting that he was too old to be kissed by his mother. She wanted to take his mind off of his older brother, since it hurt her as much as him when Wyatt rejected her baby boy. She was aware that it wasn't his fault after Gideon kidnapped and tried to kill him as a baby, and that he probably would never change because of it, but it still hurt nonetheless. _

_Piper shared a soulful glance with her sister, who seemed to get the same idea. "Christopher," she scolded him playfully, "You think you're too old to be kissed by your mother? Well then, how about by your mother AND your aunts…" she said as they all tackled the boy, showering him with kisses as he giggled and tried to roll away from the trio. _

_Deciding that he'd had enough playing with the adults, he focused his attention on his big brother again. "Mommy, you said when I finished I could go and play with Wyatt…"_

_Piper didn't want to see the saddened look in his eyes when he would inevitably return when Wyatt once again ignored him. She tried again to talk him out of it, "Wyatt just wants to go off and do big guy things, Peanut. Don't you want to hang out with us?"_

_He replied with honesty that only a child could muster without feeling guilty. "No," he answered bluntly, "I want to find Wyatt. Please mommy?"_

_Sighing, Piper reluctantly agreed before sending him off and warning him to be careful._

_He ran off excitedly, finding the older boy balancing himself on the edge of an embankment. Of course wanting to do everything his big brother did, Chris tried it too. _

_Maintaining his balance for a while, Chris shouted excitedly, "Look Wyatt—I can do it too! He hadn't expected a response, since he never usually got one anyway. _

_And he wasn't disappointed this time either. _

_Until he fell in._

_Chris panicked because he knew he couldn't swim, and the water was so deep. Coughing and spitting, he doggy paddled fiercely to keep his head above the water. His little arms and legs were tiring quickly, and he knew he couldn't keep up the pace much longer…_

"…I remember how scared I was, and I just kept yelling, "Wyatt—Wyatt, help me!" But he just stood there on the edge—watching me drown. His face was the last thing I saw before I went under."

Wyatt was listening to Chris tell the story emotionlessly, as if it hadn't bothered him in the slightest bit that he almost died while his only sibling stood idly by watching with disinterest. He, on the other hand, was in tears. He couldn't believe that his other self could be so cold.

Chris continued, "But it was also the first thing I saw when I woke up. There he was leaning over me, soaking wet, and healing me. He had jumped in to save me. I saw it in his eyes for the first time-that he didn't hate me like I thought he did. That he was just fighting the evil inside of him. Man, I was so happy by the time I ran back to mom. Of course she freaked out and we all went home, but you would have thought that I had just gotten an ice cream cone, not nearly drowned. Besides, he talked to me a little more after that."

Wyatt was afraid to ask, but did so anyway, "And the energy balls?"

"Well the first one he ever hit me with was not long after that. He said I should have been able to orb myself out of the water, but I didn't know how. So he taught me. Or, _tried _to teach me. But I just wasn't getting it. And that's probably because I didn't want to because that meant he spent more time with me. He was getting pretty irritated, and eventually tossed a few at me to force me to orb." Laughing at the recalled memory, he added sardonically, "And let me tell you—I learned to orb after that. Talk about tough love—that's the only way he ever taught me anything…And I always _learned._"

They continued their question and answer session that lasted well into the night.

Tbc…

AN: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! to all of you wonderful people for all of your wonderful reviews. They really make my day:)


	24. He did it for me24

He did it for me

Chapter 24

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

AN: What's going on with Christopher—WARNING—SOME ANGST HERE…I'll pick up with the family in the next.

**PLEASE SEE "AN" AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER WHEN DONE!**

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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_Unknown location…._

Julius strolled down the empty hallway, his features flush with relief and giddiness; well, as giddy as the stoic angel of death could manage. His long black duster sashayed behind his hasty strides as he entered the agreed upon location.

He swung open the door, his arms wide in greeting and an artificial smile that was a far cry from his normal countenance. "Raina, how are you?" He surveyed the room casually, noting a suspicious absence. "At such a momentous occasion, I would have thought that Matthias would have insisted upon joining us…"

The Elder held her head high, her voice tight with discomfort, and chose her words carefully as she clasped her hands together. "Matthias will not be joining us today, or any day in the future for that matter. We have encountered a slight problem." She hesitated in a momentary pause, watching as his smile faded. "Matthias is dead."

Julius nodded his head slightly to the explanation before sneering at the woman, "It s a shame he did not show up on my list. Not that it matters anyway, but I thought Elder's were supposed to be next to impossible to kill?"

"Not against another Elder. Leo Wyatt decided to terminate his existence. We were aware that this might happen, and it does not change anything."

Looking rather bored, he asked casually, "That's all very interesting, but what of the two I have come for?"

Raina spoke rapidly, intending to distract the man from her failure. "We managed to secure one of them but—"

Julius held his hand up in a stop gesture, refusing to be swayed. He drew his full six-foot-four height to attention while he glared at the woman menacingly. "What do you mean _ONE _of them? You should have them _BOTH _by now!"

The Elder backed further from him, his intimidation tactics working quite well. "The first managed to escape, but it is only a matter of time before he is found. We have the second here in this very facility. We believe he knows the first's location and is being interrogated by a brute demon as we speak."

Julius advanced on the woman ominously, his tone lowering dangerously, "Your time grows short. As does my patience, _Elder_. _IF _he is not found within the day, I shall consider our arrangement to be null and void—and I will be forced to proceed as originally intended." With a last look, he commanded in no uncertain terms, _"Find him."_

Raina watched him uneasily as he spun around on his heels and stormed out, flinching slightly as the doors slammed behind him. She smoothed down her robes, straightening them unnecessarily in a vain attempt to regain her composure.

That man unnerved her, unlike any had ever done before. And that was something that was difficult to do, being that she was usually in the position of having that effect on others. She worried what they would all do if they weren't able to secure the other boy by his deadline.

Sighing sadly, she spoke aloud to no one in particular before heading back again, "Perhaps it is time for more drastic measures…"

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"Christopher?" Patty asked quietly as she lifted his head into her lap. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm doing _great_…," he replied bitterly as a grimace of pain eclipsed his features. "I swear, I haven't told them anything. Yet." He stared up at her with wide green eyes brimming with unshed tears, "Gramma. I don't know how much longer I can do this. I mean I've had broken ribs before, been hit with darklighter arrows and poison, cut by an athame—but nothing like this that's ever lasted longer than the few minutes it took for Dad to heal me. I'm not as strong as Chris. I can't keep this up…"

Patty smiled down encouragingly, "Yes you are, Christopher. You've proven it, Sweetheart. You've been so brave by standing your ground. Just like he did by coming to the past to save his family. I'm so proud of you. You can't give up now, because we will get out of here. I promise you that."

"Then I hope it's soon. Because I don't think I can take much more of this. And I don't want to do that to him. Whatever they're planning—it's not good."

She swept his hair away from his forehead tenderly, "Then hold on, darling. We'll be out of here soon."

Christopher nodded sleepily. He couldn't believe his luck when he had closed his eyes for moment, then opened them to find his grandmother beside him. He felt safe and relaxed in her arms. But with the exhaustion that weighed down on his body, and not knowing how long her presence would last, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep in the comfort of her arms.

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Awakening some time later, Christopher no longer felt the warmth of Patty's arms, but the coldness of the bare floor. His eyes scanned the room, noting only the brute demon glaring at him with his arms crossed. She was no where to be seen, and he wondered if she had even been there at all.

'_Probably not'_, he pondered bitterly. It wasn't physically possible for him to pass out. That much, Arel had proven to him. So he guessed his mind had simply retreated inside itself and offered the words of encouragement that he knew he needed to keep up his denial of the other Chris' existence.

He must be in hell, he told himself. In his mind, there was simply no other explanation for it. Death was not supposed to be an unending amount of excruciating pain, unless you were sentenced to hell for your misdeeds. Christopher had always believed that a Halliwell would never belong there.

Yet here he was.

Unable to escape from it.

Unable to be granted even the tiniest bit of a reprieve except for his own mind's meandering.

Just a moment to stop his muscles from convulsing; a few seconds even to catch his breath; any amount of a break before Arel's interrogation continued, was all he wanted. At this point, hours later, he didn't even think the demon would be satisfied with an answer. He just seemed to enjoy his work.

Worst of all, the demon seemed to harbor a deep-seeded anger and resentment towards him. Particularly evident in the way he taunted him with the name '_boy' _or '_Halliwell'_ as it rolled off his tongue with no small amount of venom. Christopher wondered what his family had apparently done to piss Arel off. And if he ever got out of here, he thought with a smirk, _how _they could do it again.

Having been born with the natural instincts of a pacifist through his Elder genes, Christopher had never taken pleasure in harming another form of life—not even a demon. He would do his job and vanquish them when and if necessary, but he would never drag it out for the sheer pleasure in it. Not like Arel. Who seemed to have made it his personal crusade to see and hear him suffer.

At the moment, he hated the brute demon. More than he had ever hated anyone or anything in his entire life. Except perhaps for the female Elder. She was the one who allowed this. No! ordered this. After every bit of good he and his family had done for the world, he had been betrayed by an Elder. _The very people he fought for._

The female Elder had visited once a few hours before. '_Raina'_ he thought she had been called. She had offered to put an end to it. _IF_, she emphasized, he would only give up what he knew of his other self. And it was tempting, to say the least. But he was determined not to give her what she wanted. Whatever the reason for capturing Chris, it couldn't have been good in his eyes. So yet again, he had denied any knowledge of what they were asking.

"_After all of this, you are still claiming ignorance? Why do you not simply save yourself and tell us where he is?" she had asked. _

_Breathing heavily, he lifted his wide-green eyes to hers, hoping to convey sincerity, but praying that they didn't betray his words. "Believe me, if I could, I would gladly save myself and go home. But I can't. Because, again. I...DO...NOT...know what you're talking about." _

_Weak from the pain, he staggered to his feet allowing the tears to fall freely. He smiled inwardly thinking of how his pleading expression always worked on his family, getting him anything he wanted. "So please, if you would be so kind as to tell me what it is you would like me to say, I'd be happy to repeat it."_

_Her patience waning, he inhaled sharply at the angry way she stomped her foot like a petulant child before snapping her fingers, signaling the others. 'Uh oh. I guess she doesn't find it as cute as my family does…' _

It was then Christopher realized in his stubborn refusal, that he could go for at least a half an hour without air. Probably longer in this-dead-but non-dead state. He had to fight down his body's natural instincts not to panic. He tried to convince his brain that the clear plastic covering his airways wouldn't kill him, but his flailing limbs refused to be pacified.

He now found it ironic. What would have killed him had he been alive, only gave him a killer headache while dead. He laughed deliriously thinking that it was probably also what triggered the hallucinations of his grandmother…

The insane laughter emanating from the teenager only seemed to anger the demon further. To Arel, it was simply Christopher's latest response of denial, earning him a violent kick to the ribs, but also strangely enough—a brief respite not of the boy's own doing.

Winded, Christopher looked up from his position on the ground when Arel summoned a few of his minions, who immediately answered by shimmering in with what his father had once shown him to be a seer's pool. After several hours of experiencing first hand the insane methods the demon could concoct to try and make him talk, Christopher found himself vaguely wondering what sort of madness this new item was for…

He shivered unconsciously at the feral grin that Arel shot his way before strolling over to him and hefting him up by his tattered remains of a collar. Meeting the other's gaze, he found himself entranced by the deep black orbs that held no mercy. Something inside of him had just started to snap. He couldn't help his reaction. He knew it was illogical, but still, he grinned goofily as he was dragged over to the edges and peered inside.

'_Ah. Something new then_…' he thought absently before being thrust into the pools depths.

Tbc…

AN:

Since I'm a little caught up with the schoolwork—yeah, like that'll last long (spring break and all)—I am going to get some of my thank you's in personally. You guys are really the best, and I couldn't ask for more.

And please forgive me if I didn't say all that I should, because I'm really no good at this (Yet another reason I don't do it often). If I miss something, feel free to holler at me in email or your next review;)

I'm doing them in order of most recent review to older since the last time I did this, so please don't be upset if you're not at the front of the list—it doesn't mean I love you any less:)

So here goes:

Catyeah, I'm the youngest out of three, and they're kind of like that too. But it makes for funny family reunions now that we're older:) Thanks for reviewing:)

ilovedrew88I'm glad you like the bonding, because I like to write it. Really makes me smile too. Thank you so much for your frequent reviews. I'm happy that you're still with me:)

phoebe turnerthanks for the enthusiasm! I'm so glad you liked it. I'll try to update again soon. And thank you so much for your frequent reviews, they really keep me going:)

Alyssa Halliwelldon't feel bad for Phoebe, at least not yet…I've only just begun to mess with her. Thank you so much for the review (even after ch 23) and sticking through this. You're terrific, million thanks:)

Sparkling Cherriesno problem girl!besides, you even took the time to review 22 after 22, so thanks immensely. I really like your story and I can not believe that I missed the update. Well, when are you going to updateyou're as bad as me with the homework:) And I hope this answers your question about poor little Christopher. Yeah, he's not loosin' it... One more thingyou're note about the meetings, well it was just as funny when I read it too, so it wasn't just in your head:)

Terriwow, right away, really? Thank you, I'm so flattered. I think I'll deal with Piper & Leo in the next chapter. Much angst to be had there. And eventually, both Chris's will meet up again, now what will happenI'm not ready to let on to that little secret yet:)

trina-kthank you for reviewing, and I'm glad you liked itbecause I was thinking of doing a prequel after this one about Chris & evil Wyatt's relationship. I'll see what happens with the timing. And I would absolutely love to write longer chapters, but then you get them even fewer & further between:) sorry, but between a full time job, full time grad school, and family (grumbles) that always seem to want something, I just don't have that much time for the fun things like writing & reading. But I'm so glad that you like it and hope that you'll accept this as my humblest appologies insert puppy dog eyes here

Stony Angelyeah, my email was screwy too. It's been doing that the last few weeks. Thanks for the happy birthday note. But I really appreciate you taking the time to review 22 after 23you're such a sweetheart. So you like Leo going off huh? Well you aint' seen nothin' yet:) And the Chris'suhm, cant say just yet. But that's coming soon. You've been so kind to me with your encouraging words, so I'll give you a hint thoughthe title has a lot of meaning for more than just one of the charactersin my best yoda voiceonce onto something, you have sorry couldn't help it, I'm watching star wars again:)

Fire GazerThank you so much for taking the time to review so often. Short, but sweet:) You're wonderful!

Nikki14uI'm really glad you like it. That says a lot because I love your chris/wyatt stories. Are you going to finish …my baby boy? It's really bugging me that they took it off and now you don't update it. Maybe another ff. site?

Icantthinkofafnickwow! You think so? You really make me laugh & feel giddy at the same timethank you so much for your constant encouragement, its really helpful seeing as how you know the characters so well—especially chris. And you know-that's not the first time I've been accused of being an alien, which cracked me up;) My family says it all the time:) I'm glad you like it, because I was thinking on a prequel to explain more of chris/evil wyatt's relationship. What do you think?

charmedchick4evaI'm glad you liked those moments. And thank you so much for all of your kind words...

Nathy1000000Thanks! I think it was one of my favorites too, which is why I am thinking on doing a prequel about their relationship. I just love stories like thatand speaking of, I'm getting antsy about checking on brothers bond…I love your story and you have to update soon, because it's killing me.

Queen of the Dudesthank you. Actually, initially, I hadn't planned on a chapter in such detail with chris/wyatt. You're my inspiration because I added the scene because you said you liked stuff like that. And I was really happy with ch 23, because it turned out to be one of my personal favorites. So reallycan I say thank you enough:)

Christine Bahrensthank you. I'm so glad you decided to stick it out. I hope it turns out to be worth the wait for you.

bunk64thank's for reviewing. Don't worry, you'll find out soon if you're still with me in the next few chapters…

Missing Whisperthank you so much! I'm glad you liked it, and thank you for reviewing. I'll try to keep updating as quick as I can.

Calenyour funny! Wyatt just may do that. Or perhaps Leo:) Thanks for reviewing!

ChrisBiancauhm, all I can say is sorry? I don't mean to keep you in suspense. Well maybe I do, but I'm trying to quit with my cliffhangers anonymous meetings… Don't worry, the plot will be revealed in the next few chapters. So thank you for sticking it out this long & reviewing:)

Vickiyour review made me laugh, and it was so flattering. Thank you. I'm glad that it seemed so real because I really try to get into my character's heads to make it life like. And to answer your question, yes, Wyatt in this reality is so accepting because he is good. And he's really appreciative of what Chris did for him.

PhOenixFyrEthank you so much for the encouraging words. I made you cry? That's so sweet. I really hope you're still interested.

mizunderstood writerawe, thank you. I really tried put a lot into 14 and am really glad you liked it.

Tasmaniantigerthank you! I hope you're still there, because we're winding down now, and the plot will soon be revealed.


	25. He did it for me25

He did it for me

Chapter 25

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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Penny paced the floor worriedly, biting her thumbnails, "Something went wrong. They wouldn't have stormed this place with so many reinforcements otherwise. Maybe Piper and Leo set them off?"

Prue watched her grandmother pacing and folded her arms, feeling the tension radiating off the older woman. "That's what I thought." She didn't want to add any further worry to the woman's plight, but felt that it needed to be voiced, "Grams, I can't hear Christopher. It may be just because he doesn't know how to communicate with us yet. We should have taken the time to show him while we had the chance."

Penny looked up, "If that was true we'd be able to hear your mother at least, but she's not answering either. They must have them someplace that blocks them from us."

Her eyes cast downward as the guilt overwhelmed her, Prue spoke softly, "I'm sorry Grams. I wouldn't have let them get away with Christopher if I had known we wouldn't be able to contact him. To know that he's ok."

Penny stopped her pacing and touched her grandaughter's arm lightly to console her. "Prue, Darling. It's not your fault. You said this place was packed, and by the size of it, there had to have been at least a hundred or more of them. There's no way you would have been able to stop them all, which is precisely why they brought that many. Honey, you did the right thing by staying to warn me. If you hadn't, they would probably have Chris as well."

Prue's frustration pushed her to the verge of tears, "Grams, I need to be doing something! I can't just stand around doing nothing while who knows _what _is happening to my nephew! What are we going to do? I know you must have sent Chris away with the book, so we can't even go down there with my sisters and do anything useful!"

"Maybe not, but I still have a few favors I can call in. Someone who's above the elders. If we play our cards right, he just may be willing to help us find your mother and Christopher. Chris will be safe with Wyatt for the moment—I have no doubt that he will do everything in his power to protect him." She turned and grabbed Prue's arm, "Let's go. We're going to get our missing Halliwell's back."

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Back at the Manor… 

Phoebe's mouth opened and closed silently, as if a puppetmaster was controlling her every action. Seconds passed and turned into minutes as she froze.

Leo shouted at her in disbelief, "oh, _NOW _you're speechless!"

After several long minutes, she was finally able to stutter something coherent, "Wh—what? Chris?"

Leo answered her question and hissed angrily, "_You heard me!_ That wasn't the Chris we raised. That was the Chris who came back to save his brother and his family." He motioned just above his head as he questioned rhetorically, "You remember him? About yeah high, shaggy brown hair, green eyes, DIED IN MY ARMS! You know—HIM!"

Phoebe covered her mouth as she whispered in shock, "Oh my—"

Piper shared her husbands fury at her sibling. Bringing her hands up to her hips, she glared at the woman, "That's right Phoebe. If he didn't already hates us before, I'm sure he does now. How could you say that to him?"

"I didn't know," she uttered in her own defense. "Are you sure? Because then there would be two of them. I mean, Grams would have told us if"

"If she even knew," Paige supplied.

The oldest sister rolled her eyes and spoke bitterly, "Oh, she knew. And she kept him from us. All these years! He's just been out there! Alone. We didn't even have a funeral for him!" Piper yelled as the panic gradually subsided and the anger bubbled to the surface.

With every word uttered by her sister and brother-in-law, Phoebe found herself sinking deeper and deeper into a fog as she replayed every horrible thing she had said or done to her nephew, particularly how she had just treated him. If it was indeed the first Chris, everything made sense. The anger that she felt from him when Grams summoned him. The fear, which hadn't made sense to her at the time, now fit. He had _actually _been afraid of them. But the look he gave was one she should have recognized. She'd seen it nearly 20 years before when she had discovered his identity. Only, she never thought she'd see it again on the face of her youngest nephew. But surely enough, there it was—the familiar fear of rejection. And from the way they had treated him, she reasoned, perhaps it had rightfully belonged there back then—and maybe even now.

She had been horrible to him when he was alive. And she found herself regretting her behavior every day since she learned of his untimely demise at Gideon's hands. She had vowed to make it up the new version of Chris that existed. And she had. Or at least she thought she had.

And yet here was the original version, shattering the illusion of the nephew she had spent her life lavishing gifts and attention on; spoiling him rotten in her misguided attempts at redemption. They could have made sure they were one in the same, instead of just writing him off and assuming. They could have summoned him just as easily as Grams did. But they didn't. And now they were paying for their error in judgement. All of this time wasted, when she should have been asking for forgiveness from the only person who could give it. But somehow, she just didn't see that happening now. Piper was right, she thought with a grimace, he probably hated them now for sure.

She covered her open mouth with her hand and mumbled through it, "What am I going to do?"

Leo quickly broke the empath out of her reverie with a surprisingly venomous tone. "_You're _not going to do anything. _I'm _going to find my son" Piper swatted his arm in correction as he glanced down at her, "_Piper and I _are going to find _our_ son and you'll go no where near him since you can't seem to open your mouth without sticking your foot in it."

Paige's mouth dropped open in shock at the harsh words spoken by her brother-in-law towards her sister now in tears. She defended the empath, "Now hold on a minute there, Leo! How can you say that! It certainly wasn't intentional. None of us had any idea who he was."

Piper swiped at the tears in her eyes angrily, her own guilt driving her to lash out. She stepped closer to the red head invading her personal space, her back as rigid as her five-foot-four frame would allow. "He's right, Paige. Stay out of it! Both of you. Chris is _OUR _son."

Leo chimed in, "Our son, our responsibility."

Paige glared at the parents, Leo in particular, "And you failed him didn't you? You let him die! Then you refused to act like he ever even existed. You just brushed him aside and now you want to act like you can declare some kind of parental rights! News flash you two, He's not _YOUR _son either! He was another Piper and Leo's son. The fact that there are two of them proves that. So you have _no more _biological rights to make those kind of demands than the rest of us."

Piper's mouth fell open in shock while a lamp exploded nearby from her rage. Her feathers ruffled at the disapproving glare her youngest sister gave her, while a glance in the other's direction found her nodding in agreement. Leaning in closer, her eyes narrowed as she spoke through clenched teeth, _"How dare you?"_

Sheila's eyes widened as the two Halliwell sisters faced off, their tempers flaring dangerously. The other two weren't helping matters as they each backed the sister who had defended them only moments ago against the other. With the two sides divided—Piper and Leo; Paige and Phoebe—the four looked quite ready to expend their pent up aggression at the entire situation on each other.

Trying to diffuse the situation , she stepped between the oldest and youngest Halliwell sisters and asked them incredulously, "Have you all lost your minds? Come on. I know that this situation has got us all hopping mad and ready to fight, but it's not getting us anywhere to fight with each other. When we find Julius, direct that anger more resourcefully at him! Right now, we need to concentrate on finding Chris—both of them, because they're in danger and that's all that's important right now—not who can claim him or who loves him more!"

Realizing the truth in her friends words, Piper's expression softened a bit before she backed down and swayed over to the bench under the window sill. Taking a seat, she watched as her husband crossed his arms, unwilling to relinquish such an easy outlet for his anger. She called his name quietly but firmly before he turned and reluctantly joined her.

Following the couple's lead, the remaining Charmed Ones padded over to the opposite side and sat down. Paige stared down at her hands and sighed softly. When this is over, she thought, there are going to be some very high fences to mend. Her gaze shifted from her hands across the floorboard to meet her whitelighter's steely blue eyes that hadn't lost much of their edge. "…_very high_…" she muttered under breath.

Tbc…

AN: Oh, thank you so much for the reviews and for being so understanding! They were so sweet.

Hey, I had to split this one up because I'm not finished with the confrontation. And I added a bit more Chris and Wyatt interaction before they all have it out. And yeah—they're _all _going to have it out. Except maybe for Christopher & Patty. Wonder what they're up to:)


	26. He did it for me26

He did it for me

Chapter 26

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: Hey, what do you know—one more Chris/Wyatt chapter. The family was going to be in this, but I had to break up the chapter for consistency because it was so long. So, I'll split it into about 3-4 parts. They're definitely in the next. Unless, of course—you would prefer to see what's up with Christopher? You decide:)

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"PLEASE! You have to help us," Penny pleaded with hands together. "This isn't right what they're doing…"

The man shook his head sorrowfully, "Penny, you know I would love to help you, but I'm supposed to remain neutral. If I step in and bring him back, it could seriously shift the balance."

Penny sighed in resignation as she closed her eyes. She wasn't ready to give up, but his refusal was now going to force her to make light of certain facts. For the past few hours, she had pushed them to the back of her mind, as if doing so would mean that it wasn't true. But deep down, she knew otherwise. Fortunately, her granddaughter didn't know the full extent of the problem. And she wasn't about to add more worry lines to the poor thing's face.

The older woman took her granddaughter aside and spoke in a hushed voice, "Prue? Would you excuse us for just a moment?"

"Why?"

She lied very convincingly, "Because now it's time to call in that favor, and I have to mention a few things that he's very sensitive about—and well, I'm one of the only people who knows about them. Trust me, he won't even acknowledge that it happened with anyone else in the room. It's ok, Dear. Just wait for me outside, ok?"

Nodding reluctantly, Prue did as she was asked throwing only a parting glance her way. No sooner had the door closed that Penny admonished the man, "He is nineteen years old. He's a good boy, always has been. He doesn't deserve this."

The man eyed her somberly, "I know he doesn't. Believe me I do. I'm sorry Penny, but no. I can't help you this time."

She grabbed his arm as he started to walk away, "You know that they will stop at nothing to get what they want from him, especially if they were willing to bring demons onto a spiritual plain. They knew they couldn't get the information from the rest of us. So they took him—now just what do you suppose is going to happen? Christopher has not crossed over yet. He can still feel pain. You know as well as I do that they will torture that boy until there is _nothing left _of his soul. You have to help him, please?"

"Penny—"

"You _OWE _me!"

Beginning to loose his temper, he shrugged out of her grasp. "Woman you are my friend, but you are also trying my patience. It was his time, and I can't just ignore the rules and give Christopher his life back."

She shot back quickly, "I'm not asking you to. Clarence, please? You're an angel of death, and it's your job to guide good souls to their afterlife. If he was destined to die, then you know that his soul can't make it there if they destroy it in the process!"

"You don't want his soul to cross over. That's why you intercepted him and didn't take him there to begin with. Now, I've already broken the rules for you by allowing you to prevent both Chris' from reaching their final destination. None of this would have even been necessary had you not interfered. And now, you want him alive."

Penny admitted, "You're right. I won't deny it. I want him safe and alive and back with his family. But if that's not possible—I _DO NOT _want to loose him altogether. Come on, you remember Jeremy Wentworth. He never crossed over and he went crazy."

"He was crazy when he got here," he scoffed angrily.

"Maybe he was, but still—he was a good person to begin with. When that other boy followed him—and how that bad little seed ever ended up in any place other than hell, I'll never know—"

"Ricky saved someone's life selflessly at the expense of his own just before he died." He rolled his eyes distastefully, "That automatically gets you a free pass, no matter how rotten you were in life."

Penny ignored his pointed glare and continued with her story, "but he screwed him up completely. Harassed and bullied him to the point where he pushed poor Jeremy over the edge. And as a result, where did he spend the rest of his dead-but-undead life?"

He admitted reluctantly, knowing what her point was going to be "On earth."

She crossed her arms and asked smugly, "_Doing what?"_

"Terrorizing the living as a violent poltergeist. Yes, I know Penny. But Christopher wasn't already on his way to a loony bin when he got here. Jeremy was."

Agitation rolled off her shoulders as she glared stonily at him. "And you think this isn't enough to change that? In good conscience, how can you let this go on?"

Sighing loudly, Clarence stared up at the ceiling before answering. "I guess I can't. Alright, Penny. You win. I will help you get Christopher back—but I WILL NOT bring him back to life. If that's his destiny, you and the rest of his family will have to figure out a way around that. I'll have to plead his case…"

"I know." She said eagerly.

"And you'll have to find a place to keep him…"

She smiled warmly before enveloping the angel in her arms, "He's not a puppy, Clarence."

Pulling back slightly, he raised an eyebrow in mock annoyance at the woman, "_I meant _keep him from the Elders and the others until I do that…"

Crossing her heart with her fingers, she smiled sweetly, "I promise. I will take him to a safe place to keep him away from them—as soon as you bring him back to us. I'll start looking right now. In fact, I think I already know just the place. How can I ever thank you?"

He bent down and kissed the top of her hand in a gentlemanly gesture before winking. "I'll think of something…"

Strolling off, Clarence shook his head at the flirtatious way she batted her eyelashes at him and the girlish giggle that escaped her lips.

As Prue reentered, she thumbed in his parting direction as she asked, "Grams, why is he smiling like that? Is he going to help?" Facing the older woman, she studied her carefully, "Are you ok? You look a bit flushed." Her question causing Penny to turn a brighter shade of crimson with embarrassment.

Bypassing her granddaughter to avoid looking at her, she answered while Prue trailed behind her. "I'm fine, Dear. Yes, he's going to get your mother and Christopher back for us. So for the moment, we only need to find someplace to take them upon his return."

"How about with Wyatt? His shield and that spell must make a really powerful block if they still can't find Chris."

"My thoughts exactly. Let's go. Besides, I think it's time you met your other nephew."

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At the Cabin… 

"…yeah but you know the funny part? Until I was almost eleven, I never knew the word "DUCK" used to refer to an animal," Chris joked.

Laughing animatedly, Wyatt's eyebrows raised inquisitively, "Well, what did they call them when you did finally figure it out."

"Extinct. When I came here, I was completely blown away when we brought you to the park one day. This duck waddled up to your stroller and I tried to get Piper to vanquish it." Chris rolled his eyes as Wyatt began laughing heartily, "Give me a break, I didn't know what it was since I'd never seen one before. They couldn't _stop _rolling on the ground laughing. I didn't think it was that funny." Chris glared at the older boy doing much the same thing, "It's _still _not that funny! I was trying to protect you…" Chris pushed Wyatt off the bed as he demanded, "_Stop laughing_!"

Undeterred by the landing, Wyatt continued with his boisterous laughter. "_You wanted to vanquish a duck?"_

Settling down moments later, Wyatt held his hands up in mock surrender as Chris crossed his arms, glaring down at him petulantly. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry I laughed at you."

Chris snorted while extending his hand to help him up, "As soon as we leave here, I'm going shopping to get the pinkest—most frilly—tutu I can find to stick you in, you know that, right?"

"Hmmph. I only made a deal like that because I know you're not going to need it." He glanced at the clock beside the bed, amazed that they had been talking for hours. "You know it's getting really late. Are you tired yet?" the blonde asked.

"Noooo," he yawned.

"Sure you're not. Wow. I can't believe all of the things you've been through. And you've done so much in your short life. No offense or anything, but I'm actually kind of surprised you still have your sanity."

His green eyes twinkled with amusement, "That's kind of debatable. At least according to _your _family. I was a neurotic nutcase. Of course they never bothered to ask _why _I was like that." His expression suddenly dispirited, "I could never give them any real details about the future or their lives or anything. But I could talk about myself because it wouldn't have harmed the future any, especially if they succeeded in changing my life. If they had asked me, I would have told them. But not _once _after they found out who I was—_NOT ONCE _did they ever ask me. They never cared. Oh wait, you know what, I'm wrong. The only time they ever cared enough to ask me anything, was because they were under a spell. Phoebe asked me how I got my name."

"Dad's father."

"Yeah. I guess it was too much of a bother to actually talk to me…"

"Chris—"

"Don't try to make it better, Wyatt. It's the truth." He added bitterly, "Grandpa knew more about me in the one and a half hours he spent with me than the one and a half years they did. You know it was bad enough growing up in this family with a surname that did nothing but draw a demonic bulls eye on your chest. But in a way, they were the ones who made me the way I am—at least them from my timeline. Yet they could care less for the reasons."

"Yeah, I guess living with a lunatic brother bent on world domination wasn't easy," Wyatt joked.

Chris' green eyes locked with his brothers as he spoke honestly. The pain in them causing the blonde haired man to fidget uncomfortably. "Actually, that part wasn't so bad. Because I knew deep down he still cared about me. In fact, I was probably the only one he ever really cared about. It took awhile before things started to go downhill."

Almost afraid to ask and hear the unfortunate answer, Wyatt decided that it was most likely now or never and asked shyly, "When was that?"

Lowering his eyes, his voice quivered a bit as he responded, "When I turned fourteen."

"What happened?"

The brunette shook his head furiously, his eyes glazed over with tears threatening to spill over, "I don't want to talk about it. I can't Wyatt…"

Wyatt refused to give up now that he was so close, "Then how about we have a go at what happened back at the Manor. You know when Aunt Phoebe and I shared one of your memories. Just like a premonition. Chris, I can see how much it bothers you. So maybe I can help you to put it out of your mind so you can finally let it go."

Sighing reluctantly, Chris gave a small nod. "What do we do?"

"Just take my hand. I'll do the rest."

Through the memory, it seemed like hours later, but was actually only several minutes. Wyatt was in shock of what he had witnessed himself, and could only imagine the horror of what Chris must have went through at such a young age. He wrapped his arms around the younger boy, trying to ease the pain of the memory as he relived it. "Dad never came, did he?"

"He came. For the first time in over a year. But it was too late by the time he decided to grace us with his presence."

Wyatt shook his head in disgust, "What a bastard."

"Yeah," he offered with a grim smile, "but I got my birthday wish."

He winced at the response, "Oh, man. I'm sorry you had to go through any of that."

Ignoring his platitudes, Chris whipped his head around angrily, "Wyatt could have done something."

"He didn't have a choice, Chris. He did the only thing he could. I'm not evil, but I'm sorry—if faced with a choice like that—I would do the same thing. She would want it that way."

"Maybe."

Wyatt didn't respond, instead hunching his shoulders as he looked around alertly. He whispered, "Do you hear that?"

Chris mimicked his actions exaggeratedly, "No."

Wyatt glared at the boy for a moment before he slipped off the bed stealthily. "This is no time to fool around. Someone's here. And I cloaked my presence from everyone. So no one should have been able to find us—and it feels like they're trying to get through my shield. It also feels like an Elder. If they were responsible, I'm not gonna' let them get to you. I promise." He held his hand out silently and called for Excalibur before turning to head for the door, the younger of the two hot on his heels. Annoyed by his new shadow trailing him, he spun around and hissed, "Stay here!"

"No, this is ridiculous. I can help you. Besides, I was hunting demons while you were still crapping your diapers. I'm going."

Wyatt narrowed his eyes and ignored the dig, "In case you forgot, you don't have any powers right now. So the best you can do is mouth off to them, which you seem to be pretty good at. I said I would take care of this. And you're staying here while I do."

"No. I don't want you risking your life for me. Wyatt if they're here for me, it doesn't matter—I'm already dead and I _don't want _you joining me."

"Chris, I'll be fine. If things get out of hand, I'll orb back up here to get you since I'm the only way you can get out of here anyway. So I promise—I won't do anything stupid. Now grab the Book, and be ready if we have to run again." Seeing him ready to protest again, Wyatt cut him off quickly, "Please, Chris. Do this for me, ok?"

Chris practically snorted in irritation, "Fine. But you better come back." He placed his hand on the Book of Shadows, pacing nervously as the Twice-Blessed Witch tip-toed out of the room and crept down the stairs to face the unknown…

TBC…..


	27. He did it for me27

He did it for me

Chapter 27

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: I had to break up the chapter for consistency because it was so long. So, I'll split it into about 3-4 parts.

And LOOK OUT, 1 curse word here:)

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Wyatt waived his hand, immediately sheathing the room in complete darkness. If they got through, he wanted the element of surprise on his side. He blocked off his whitelighter senses to avoid detection. The only problem was, if _they _couldn't sense _him_, _he _couldn't sense _them _either. But he would just have to rely on good old fashioned eyesight and intuition. Wyatt was glad that his father had thought to train him in such circumstances should his powers ever fail.

He crouched down into a fighting stance, waiting patiently, sword in hand. His eyes adjusted to the darkness just as the familiar trail of orb lights coalesced in front of the cabins only entrance. Wyatt felt that it was because of him that both of his brother's were dead. Determined that the intruders would not harm his new found brother, he decided to attack first, ask questions later. He wouldn't let Chris down again. It just wasn't an option.

As soon as the figure was partially formed, he charged as fast as he could run, which happened to be extremely fast for the former captain of his high school track team.

The blonde's bare feet pounding across the floor was the only indication that something was headed for the newly formed intruder, who barely had enough time to send the other's scrambling before ducking.

The intruder stared up in shock from his position on the ground as the sword imbedded itself only millimeters from where his head had just stood. "SHIT!" he cursed and rolled away as the sword came crashing down towards him again.

"Are Elder's even _allowed _to swear?" a disembodied voice asked.

"WYATT! PUT THAT DAMN THING DOWN BEFORE YOU HURT SOMEONE!"

Excalibur clattered to the floor as he asked in shock, "MOM?"

"Would someone please turn the lights on?"

It was Chris who had flipped the switch from his position on the balcony watching the scene unfold. He was still mesmerized by the fact that his brother had very nearly taken his own father's head off. _'I wonder if something like that would have been permanent?' _he mused.

"Sorry Dad," Wyatt said sheepishly as he helped his father up, "I was only looking out for Chris. And you kind of snuck up on us…"

"I WAS NOT SNEAKING! And you couldn't sense it was me!" The man yelled incredulously, still a little unnerved by what had just transpired.

"I blocked my sensing so that whoever was breaking in wouldn't know where to find me and get the upper hand. Look, whatever is going on, we thought it may involve the Elders, and Grams was worried enough to send Chris away from the Manor so I wasn't going to take any chances…" he babbled defensively.

Piper placed her hand on his shoulder while she glanced up at Chris, "It's ok Wyatt. I'm glad you were looking out for him."

"How did you find us? I cloaked myself, and I thought I did it pretty well" he sighed in disappointment.

Leo looked on proudly, "You did, son. I couldn't sense you at all, and we had a hell of time getting through your shield. If it wasn't for the Power of Three, I don't think we could have. But we had a little help finding this place." He said as he nodded in Sheila's direction.

She stepped forward smiling warmly as he welcomed his godmother, "It is _my _house, Wyatt. But like I told you before, you're welcome to it anytime. And since no one else knew about it, I figured that with it being such a remote location, this would be an ideal place for the two of you to hide out." Pulling out of his embrace, she stared in amazement while she ran her fingers along the deep lacerations extending across the wooden entrance, courtesy of Excalibur, "_This thing is solid oak, Wyatt. _And don't think you're going to get off scott free by the way, Mr. You_ owe me for that door_."

Wyatt smoothed his hair back and blushed furiously. "I don't exactly have a paying job, Aunt Sheil."

Sheila added helpfully, enjoying watching the Twice-Blessed Witch squirm. "That's ok, we're always in need of a copy boy at the firm. You can work it off."

While Wyatt groaned in disappointment at the idea of working in a normal job, Leo's eyes focused intently on the brunette glaring down at them from the balcony. "Listen, Wy. Do you mind staying down here with your Aunts while your Mother and I go and talk to Chris."

"Yes, actually I do mind. Whatever you have to say to him, you can say it in front of me."

Piper shook her head and added firmly, "Wyatt, this really doesn't concern you."

He folded his arms defiantly, "It does if it involves my brother."

Phoebe leaned in and whispered, "He's not exactly who you think he is. Listen—I upset him earlier, and I know I screwed up. But there's just some things you don't understand so we're all going to have to tread carefully around him."

Wyatt backed away from her defensively, "Don't tell me how to behave around him, I think I know him a whole lot better than you do!"

Piper was growing angry, "Wyatt, you don't know him at all."

"Neither do you. And that's part of the problem," he answered.

Piper threw her husband a questioning glance, silently asking if he thought their oldest son was aware of who was currently standing on the balcony. She tried to sidestep her oldest who was standing at the base of the steps blocking their path. "Wyatt. Please move out of the way. We need to talk to Chris."

Chris folded his arms and called out to them, "Say whatever you have to say. Just do it from down there."

Piper reasoned, "Chris, please come down here. What we have to talk about isn't something that should be shouted from one floor to another."

Apparently, Leo thought, that Piper was positive who the young man was. But he himself had no idea what on earth he could possibly ever say to make things right with him if it was indeed the first version. He hoped, even though it was extremely doubtful, that Chris would prove him wrong and answer the question he had just thought of to ask. His heart rate increased as he questioned, "Chris, where did I take you last month where you asked me for something? It was something big. Do you remember?"

Chris blinked, but didn't even bother to look confused. It was clear that he didn't know the answer from his blank stare. He was done hiding from them, it seemed, but he wasn't going to make it easy for them either.

Leo took a deep breath and added softly, "How about we stop pretending and you start with why you're so angry with us?"

Chris realized that they probably knew who he was from the pleading and guilty looks on their faces. He pointed to himself indifferently, "_I _don't have anything to say. Particularly not to any of you."

Everyone jumped visibly when he turned and stalked back into the bedroom, the door slamming shut behind him.

Having enough of trying to sidestep Wyatt, Leo grabbed his wife's hand and orbed them into the room they had just been shut out of, followed closely by the others. "Fine. If you don't want to say anything, then how about you just listen. You're angry because you think we don't love you too, right?" He surmised.

Chris shrugged his shoulders with indifference, "Nope. To be angry, I guess I would have to give a damn about what you think, but I don't. So why don't you just go about your business, find your real son, and leave me the hell alone and be done with it."

"You are our _real _son."

"Don't call me that, _Leo_. I'm not your son!"

Leo clasped his hands together in desperation, trying to get the boy to understand. "Yes, Chris. You were before, are now, and always will be. Look, we know you're not the Chris that we raised. But it doesn't matter. Not to us. I've missed you so much. We all have."

Chris scoffed, "Oh please. If you missed me you would have been looking for me. But I guess in almost 20 years, you _just couldn't find the time_."

Piper tried to reason, "Why would we look for you when we thought we already knew where you were?"

The young brunette ignored her and stepped closer to the older man, challenging him mere inches from his face, "Admit it Leo. You're just like _MY LEO. _You've abandoned me every chance you ever got. The rest of you are no better."

Leo tried to convey his sincerity, "No—We would have never—NEVER—I tell you, abandone you intentionally, Chris. We just never thought it was possible for the two of you to exist separately. We've always believed that you were a part of the other Chris. You have no idea how often I—_We've _thought of you. When he was little, every single day when I looked into Christopher's eyes, all I could see were _your _eyes."

Green eyes stared back at the Elder incredulously, "Oh, so now you're trying to convince me that you don't love him now either? What is it with you guys? Whoever happens to be in standing in front of you, you'll tell us whatever you think we want to hear?"

Piper placed her hand on his forearm, "Of course not, Chris. We love him. And we love you. Why can't you accept the fact that we love both of you?"

Having enough of feigning indifference, Chris finally lost his patience and blew up. "BECAUSE YOU LEFT _ME_! NOT HIM. I'm the one you didn't give _one damn second thought about_, not him."

Phoebe tried hard to keep silent during the conversation as she promised, but she couldn't help herself when she blurted out, "How could you think that, we're your family."

Chris laughed absurdly, "No, my family's dead. You're just a cheap imitation."

Wyatt shouted indignantly, "HEY!"

Patting his shoulder, Chris winked, "You know I didn't mean you, Wy. Can we go shopping now? I'm in the mood for something—_pink._"

Wyatt narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth, "We're not done yet."

"Oh, yes we are." His eyes narrowed as they met all others in the room, "We were done the second you all decided to sweep me under the rug. It's a real good thing my body disappeared—that way you didn't have to clean up any mess or spend any money on a funeral."

Piper squeezed her husband's hand, his blunt words stinging her eyes more so than the salty tears welling up in them. "Chris, please. We didn't know…"

"And you didn't bother to find out, _did you_?" a strangely familiar voice reproached behind them.

Everyone spun around in shock, save for Chris who merely smiled warmly at the new arrivals. He had begun to feel like a caged animal with his family closing in around him. He didn't like the way they made him feel like he owed them something; as if he were supposed to just nod his head and forgive them so easily just because they had explained. That he should forget the past 19 years of despair that he had experienced waiting for something that would never happen. For someone that would never come…

Now that two of his biggest supporters had come to his rescue, Chris began to relax. His shoulders slumped and he sighed contentedly as the tension just melted from his body. He watched intently as they made their way through the cluster of gaping family members, ignoring all in favor of reaching his extended arms.

Chris was tired of being on the defensive, and the years of hurt that they had caused refused to let go of him. And he wasn't quite ready to let go of the feelings of betrayal either; wasn't ready to give in and forgive his so-called family. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

And from the hardened looks on the faces of the two that had wrapped their comforting arms around him, they weren't ready to forgive so easily either. He smiled at the thought of the confrontation about to take place that was a long time in the making.

'_Oh yeah'_. His _family _was going to get it.

TBC….

AN: Thank you soooo much for all of the wonderful reviews. And I'm really sorry to everyone who wanted to see Christopher in this chapter, but I had a hard time writing it in this one. But I'm posting a short right after this about him—and hopefully, you'll like them both.


	28. He did it for me28

He did it for me

Chapter 28

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: This chapter is kind of SHORT. But it's very important, and I thought little Christopher deserved one all of his own :)

Yeah, sorry—one more curse here too. But it's important to the context. You just have to read on & you'll understand.

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'_Drowning was not fun', _he told himself. He had to remember to put that on his list of things he never wanted to do again. But if the demon had his way, he wouldn't be making that list any time soon.

When they first threw him in the seers pool, he thought that they simply wanted to drown him. To watch the panic in his eyes and his face contort in terror as they held him under. He soon realized that it wasn't the purpose. Well, maybe to Arel, it was.

But not to the others.

Raina was there again. Her eyes almost saddened as she watched him struggling just beneath the surface. Her porcelain features rippled and distorted from his point of view, but soon even that faded in front of his eyes, only to be replaced by something else. Now he knew the pool's purpose.

They wanted to prove he was lying. Being immersed in the liquid, he soon found out that the seer's pool transmitted his thoughts into images. He wanted to cry as he witnessed his own mind betray him. He saw the confrontation between he and Chris when he first died. Christopher knew that he couldn't deny it again. Couldn't feign ignorance any longer.

Panicking as his own mind edged closer to showing them Chris' location, he gathered up his last remaining bit of strength and twisted away from his captors. They made the mistake of only pushing him down, not gripping him firmly.

Having no where else to go, Christopher pushed with his legs until he sank down further, away from the arms that scrambled to pull him back up. The image above disappeared the deeper he went under. Seeing this as his only option to distract them from their goals, he let go of the fear that he had while he held his breath the entire time. He opened his mouth and breathed in, allowing the coppery-tasting substance to fill his body. His lungs completely filled, he sank to the bottom faster than if a weight had been tied to him.

Once again, Christopher's mind sought out the solace of his own imagination. _But he wasn't prepared for what else the action would bring…_

He had no idea how they had reached him to pull him out. Whatever their method, Raina now seemed willing to let him recover momentarily as he sat huddled in the corner, shivering violently while Arel watched him ruefully from the opposite end of his cell. Hugging his knees to his chest, he stared at the puddle on the floor, the result of emptying his stomach's contents of the murky water.

He wasn't shivering from the bitter cold of the floor, or the wet rags he now wore. He shivered because of what he had just seen. If they thought he was just going to give in when they saw the proof of his lies, they were wrong. Dead wrong. He now had further ammunition to deny them their answer. He didn't think that the stupid demon, as he had come to call him in his mind, even knew of what was in store for them all. They probably hadn't anticipated that particular knowledge coming to him. And he was positive that they didn't know the extent of what he knew. They would be panicking right now if they did. If they had known, he was sure they would have just continued torturing him in other ways.

'_Damn'_ he thought for what must have been the fortieth time today. His mind brushed over that word again. The "T" word. But that is what they had been doing to him. It was difficult enough to endure it, but to think about it? He wasn't sure if he would ever be _right _if he managed to get his life back. But if he gave in now, none of it was going to make a difference anyway.

He had seen the outcome. And he couldn't believe it. The result of what they really wanted him and his twin soul for. And the reality terrified him to no end. More so than the demon that now approached him for another '_lap in the pool_'.

He planted his body firmly in place, refusing to get up without a fight. He had more reason than just loyalty to the other boy not to go back in that pool. '_NOOOO!_' he yelled with a sudden show of strength, surprising even the brute demon that fell to the floor after trying to pick him up.

The others quickly rushed to restrain him. Raina backed away in astonishment as she watched the transformation of the once calm young man. He now fought harder _NOT _to get back in than he did to get out in the first place.

Christopher dragged his feet stubbornly, demanding all of their demonic strength to inch him closer to the pool. His erratic movements combined with his wet and slippery body made holding onto him difficult for the group. Striking out like a wild beast, his hoarse voice screamed at the Elder after they tackled him to the ground, "HE WAS PLAYING YOU, YOU STUPID BITCH! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT!"

She ordered them to let him up.

He had hit a nerve with her, and they both knew it. And he was determined to continue distracting her with it...

Christopher Halliwell had always been a bright boy. He had mastered the ability to speak four different languages at an early age. Laughing insanely, he watched her face turn red as he cursed and told her off in every single one of them.

Tbc…


	29. He did it for me29

He did it for me

Chapter 29

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: Hey, sorry about the extreme cliffy with Christopher. Those damned Cliffhangers Anonymous classes just aint working for me;)

And a HUGE THANK YOU all for so many wonderful reviews that I just don't know what to say. I'm positively speechless, so I decided to write a longer chapter to express at least some of my gratitude. Enjoy:)

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Everyone gaped both in shock and anticipation at the figures that had strolled over to the dark-haired young man, guarding him protectively. More specifically, they gaped at the younger of the two women whom they hadn't seen in decades, and some present had never laid eyes upon her at all save in photographs.

Despite their outstretched hands and obvious tears of affection, Prue did not seem even the slightest bit interested in a warm and heartfelt reunion. She only glared at her family in response, her icy-gray eyes casting a chill over the room. Of course, with the exception of her two nephews with whom she held no grudge against. For the first time in years, she had come face to face with the only people in her life that she had once held in such high regard, and had effectively let her down.

She loved her family, without a doubt, but their willful neglect of her nephew angered and hurt her far too much to let the issue slide. One look at Penny's intimidating stance told her that she was not alone in the feeling. And now that everything was out in the open, she was free to express those feelings to those that she felt needed to hear them.

She let the displeasure seep through her voice as she heard Leo mumble a disconcerted, 'excuse me?'. "You heard me. I said you—none of you—bothered to find out, did you?"

Her eyes never leaving the older adults in front of her, her voice softened a bit as she extended a hand to her right, "I'm your Aunt Prue. It's nice to finally meet you, Wyatt. Though I wish it were under better circumstances."

He took the outstretched hand in awe, her powerful presence radiating strength in the simple gesture. "Likewise." he stammered simply.

Paige had watched the interaction intently before finding her own voice and stepping forward, "I'm Pa—"

Prue cut her off brusquely, "I know who you are. Don't get me wrong dear, I've pretty much watched you grow up, and I've grown to love you as much as my other sisters. But this major screw up on all of your parts doesn't sit well with me. It's certainly not going to get any of you on my welcoming list."

Most in the room had been stunned by the cruel dismissal, especially Paige who looked vaguely reminiscent of a dear caught in headlights. The remaining Charmed sisters, however, were used to the bluntness of the older one, and immediately stood rigidly on the defensive.

Phoebe was at a loss for words and only managed to parrot a response, "SCREW UP!"

Penny and Prue both answered at the same time, "Yes."

Piper raised her voice incredulously, "You act as if we did it on purpose!"

"Well did you?" Prue half laughed.

"Of course not!" everyone fired back simultaneously, Piper being the loudest.

Penny tried to be a little more diplomatic in her approach, "You _ALL _made a major _miscalculation _Piper. Not once did you ever question the how-the what-or the why. I'm very disappointed in you because I know I taught you better than that."

"You didn't teach us anything! All you did was leave us a damn book!" Piper declared angrily.

Annoyed at the accusation, Penny tried to reason with the distraught mother, "I taught you growing up to always look for the _least _obvious answer. To always question things that you're instincts told you weren't right, and then to fight to make them so. Your instincts and ability to think outside the proverbial box are what made you excel at everything you've ever done. Made you one of the greatest witches this world has ever seen. But for some reason, you chose to ignore all of those instincts in Chris' case. You made the wrong choice. This was a _huge mistake_. And now you have to face the consequences of that mistake."

Piper hissed at Penny, "_There would be_no consequences if you hadn't taken it upon yourself to keep his very existence a secret. You had absolutely no right to do that! So if you want to talk about mistakes, there you have it. You made the wrong decision by not telling us!"

The matriarch shook her finger at the younger woman, her eyes and tone flashing angrily, "And you made the wrong decision by not asking me. _DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO SHOULDER THIS RESPONSIBILITY ON ME, MISSY. Had you asked, _I would have told you were he was. But I refused to let you hurt that boy any more than you already had. You were irresponsible Piper! Irresponsible in your motherly duties and there's no excuse for that!" She glared around the room before continuing, "There's no excuse for any of you—mother, father, aunts—all magical beings who should have known better."

Piper's mouth fell open in shock at the harsh words coming from the older woman. Practically the only mother she had ever known, the woman had never so much as looked at her crossly in her life, let alone scolded her so sharply. She glanced at her husband, who also stared back mutely.

If Piper and Leo thought that this fight was all theirs, they were mistaken as Phoebe and Paige jumped in admonishing their grandmother while the couple shrunk back and digested her words.

Paige held her fingers up close together, "And in all these years, you couldn't have even made _one little suggestion_?"

The empath furthered, "…even a small hint that they weren't one in the same! _SOMETHING_ that would have put us on the right path and made us question what happened to him?"

Prue's blue-gray eyes flashed with fury at her now middle sister. "Why should you have needed to question what happened? You know what happened—Gideon shoved a giant piece of steel through half of his internal organs. He _cursed _the blade, Phoebe. You know that! That fact alone should have made you question what happened to him. But it was just easier for all of you to dismiss him. Face it—you abandoned him."

"22 years Prue," Phoebe said as she crossed her arms, her icy brown eyes reminiscent of the day she became the Source's Queen.

"What?" Prue retorted in irritated confusion.

"That's how long you've been absent from our lives. You're the big sister. The one who should have looked out for us, yet you died and never even looked back. Paige has never even met you. You abandoned _US, _Prue-and now you have the nerve to come down here and lecture us about abandonment issues?"

"_I was dead Phoebe_," she answered sarcastically, "in case you hadn't noticed. Still am, by the way."

Taking offense to the earlier dismissal, Paige added in cool and clipped tone, "It hasn't stopped Mom or Grams. Or the dozens of other Halliwell Matriarchs that came down for the boy's wiccannings. Where've you been, _Prudence_?"

Prue smirked turning first to her youngest sisters then to Piper and Leo as she threw her fingers up doing air quotes, "Watching over your '_NEPHEW'_, your '_SON' _after he was murdered by that son of a bitch elder—with a cursed athame, mind you. He disappears, and what do you all do? NOTHING!" She looked sisters and brother-in-law, "What happened to you guys? Were you all just not _smart enough _to think that intuitively? I guess you really did need me, didn't you?"

The long dead sister watched her empathic sister opening and closing her fists to her sides and her own eyes gleamed in response. "What's the matter, _Phoebs_? You want to hit me for telling you the truth?" Stepping closer to tower over the shorter woman, she challenged, "_GO AHEAD!_ I'd like to see you try it!"

Sheila stood on the sidelines shaking her head. She refused to get in between the sisters again, looking about ready to rip each other's hair out. '_Were they under a spell'_, she thought to herself. She looked hopefully to Chris to intervene, but rolled her eyes finding no luck there as he seemed to be enjoying the debate. With his eyes gleaming intently accompanied by that knowing little smirk of his, he looked like all he needed was a tub of popcorn to munch on.

Piper and Leo seemed to have run out of steam, and the vulnerability that emanated from their sagging shoulders' while they fought back the tears, proved that they would be of no use either.

Finally, she turned her attention to her oldest godchild. He stood back a little dumbfounded at the prospect of seeing all of his Aunts come to blows. She nudged him in the ribs, nodding in their direction. He shook his head vehemently as if to tell her that he wasn't getting in the middle of that pure Halliwell fury.

Sheila threw her hands to her hips and glared at him pointedly, her expression leaving no room for his refusal. Blowing out a deep breath, he relented finally.

Just as the empath stepped closer to her oldest sister, he stepped in between all of them, pushing them apart and yelled, "STOP IT! ALL OF YOU! You know what will happen to the book if you guys get into this! The Power of Three will be broken—and Chris will be the one in danger because he'll be stuck here with no where to run with whatever is after him. Grow up! You're all acting like a bunch of children. Now did you all forget why we're here in the first place?"

The sisters backed away, slinking their heads down ashamedly at his admonishment. Wyatt breathed a small sigh of relief that they hadn't turned on him, but quickly brushed that feeling aside as he now implored the boy. "Now, Chris, come on. You promised you would give them a chance. At least hear them out!"

Chris shook his head stubbornly, his reply more acerbic than usual. "I've already heard their lame excuses. And I don't need a bunch of phony _I'm sorry's_ that'll change the second the other Chris gets here."

Wyatt pleaded with him, his blue eyes showing a desperate intensity that he had never seen before, not even in his own future. "Please, Chris? I know you're hurting right now, and I agree that they screwed up. Big time. And you have every right to be angry about it. But they love you, I know they do. So why can't you give them another chance?"

Everyone looked on with a mixture of hope and anticipation as they awaited Chris's response.

The dark-haired teen shrugged his shoulders and replied with a smirk, "Because they don't deserve one."

Refusing to give up, the Twice-Blessed Witch was quick to point out, "Neither did I. Or at least, my other self didn't. Yet you loved me and forgave me enough to come back here and save me. You said that you don't have much time. Do you really want to leave things like this?"

Chris tried to ignore the strong feelings the question produced, and relied on his old habits of sarcasm and wit. "To see you decked out in a pink tutu and pretty little satin slippers? Quite possibly."

Wyatt winced at the incredulous looks everyone else in the room gave him. He knew that remark was going take some explaining later. And he hoped that they wouldn't tell the other Chris, because he would never let him live it down. He gritted his teeth and resisted the urge not to growl at his brother before continuing, "So even after all of the horrible things my other self had done to _and _around you, you still managed to forgive me. You proved that you have an enormous capacity for forgiveness; more than anyone I've ever known or seen in my life. So I know you have it in you to do it again."

Turning to the others, he gave in and began to rant. "Fine. So let's hear it. What else have you got? Because I've already heard the lame excuses of how you thought I was part of your Chris. So explain to me why you didn't bother to make sure. Why, if I meant so much to you, did you just forget all about me and act like I never existed? I mean, after everything I did, you didn't even tell Christopher and Wyatt about me. Did it mean so little to you? Did I?"

Leo snapped out of his revelry and answered firmly, "No, it was not easy." He glanced at Wyatt and mumbled an apology before turning back to Chris, "Do you know what happened right after you died?"

"Yeah, I saw. Leo got some new powers…" he mumbled sarcastically.

Paige remembered how her brother-in-law had destroyed the attic after Chris had faded away. The intense rage that took hold of him that day was more than she had ever seen the Elder display in all of the twenty-two years she had known him. She knew now what his questioning was getting at, and defended him. "No Chris, _he killed _Gideon."

Throwing his hands up, he pointed out wildly, "SO WHAT! He did it to set the balance back to the way it was supposed to be. '_A great evil_' remember? I'm not stupid."

"No, that was not why I killed him. Even after we got back from the evil world and he had tried to kill Wyatt, I had originally intended to take Gideon to the Council for his soul to be recycled. It wasn't until you died in my arms, because of him, that I lost it. It was at that moment that I decided that Gideon, Elder or not, would die by the same hands that held you when you took your last breath."

Chris shook his head in disbelief, "Yeah right. You killed him for me. You expect me to believe that load of crap?"

"See for yourself. I can show you. We can all show you how hard it was…" Leo held his hand out for Phoebe to initiate the premonition. He reasoned that if she could do it by accident, she could do it intentionally.

Everyone seemed to catch onto the Elder's train of thought and quickly formed a circle to witness what Leo wanted to project into the young man's mind. If he couldn't hear it and believe it, he wanted him to see it, experience it.

As everyone took a seat and stretched out their arms to join hands, they waited patiently for Chris. His eyes had wondered from one face to the other before meeting the eyes of his brother. He expected a note of seriousness to accompany them, but all he found was amusement twinkling in the crystal blue orbs. He chuckled softly as the blonde goaded him, "Come on Chris—do it and maybe we can put that shopping trip on hold…"

Still smiling, Chris sat down cross legged on the floor and placed one hand in his father's, while the other found it's way into his mothers to complete the circle.

Waiting patiently as the two empaths enhanced and channeled the connection, Chris was glad that they had all chosen to sit after hearing the multiple gasps surrounding him. They had all felt weakened a bit as the premonition of Leo's memory was projected into their minds…

_19 years ago… _

_After Leo had orbed from away from Paige, he detoured in his direction to the underworld, landing in Gideon's office at the magic school instead. _

_As he approached the mirror, the black clad figure stepped into view in the same position on the other side. "Why did you come here?" Leo asked his evil version. _

_"For the same reason you did, I assume." Evil Leo's voice saddened uncharacteristically, "I wanted to know if he was at least alive somewhere…" _

_"I guess that answers my question, then doesn't it? I promised him I would get him safely—" _

_"home…Where he'd be waiting for us years from now to catch up to him. But instead that bastard—" _

_Leo finished angrily, "took him away from us. Gideon will pay for what he did to Chris. If it's the last thing I do, I will kill him with my bare hands." _

_"Yes I will…" Evil Leo smirked. _

_Leo shook his head, "No, I'm sorry to deny you your revenge, but you can't do anything. Both of our worlds have to be set right, and me killing him will do that. You killing him will just set the balance further out of line." _

_Evil Leo raged on incredulously, "You want me to just sit back and let him get away with this! Chris was my son! Gideon deserves to be punished for what he did to him!" _

"_And he will be. Yours and mine. Just go to the underworld. You'll get to watch him pay, at least. I swear to you, I won't make it quick." _

_Evil Leo saw the truth in the hardened gaze of his counterpart's eyes, and the evil nature that had surfaced in them. The pledge of impending violence settled his outrage a bit, and he grinned in approval, "You're more like me than I thought. _

_Leo appeared to mull it over for a bit before responding. "I guess I am. For Chris…"_

_Evil Leo nodded his spiky head slowly before agreeing to the lengths either of them would go to for the boy, "For Chris…" _

_Leo asked his evil double, "Now. Show me how you draw out the lightening bolt longer…" _

_"Gladly…" _

When Leo's memory ended, Chris was surprised to see memories from the others flitting through his mind. Included also were their thoughts and feelings about his death in the years immediately following. He saw scenes that he had somehow missed in his haste and anger; back in the beginning when he had refused to look in on them after their apparent dismissal of him. His head lolled to the side as the influx of memories invaded his mind. He realized that none were focused on Wyatt or the other Christopher, but only of him, and him alone. And he began to smile.

TBC…


	30. He did it for me30

He did it for me

Chapter 30

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: this chapter all takes place in the past—only some of what the girls were thinking.

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"Piper, what are you doing?"

The mother of two turned her back on her sister before sighing in exasperation. She waved the mixing spoon in the air, "What does it look like I'm doing, Phoebe. I'm making cookies."

"Piper, you just had a baby—and almost died in the process. You should be resting."

"I'm fine. I just need to do something. Besides, I'm not cooking an all out meal, I'm just baking a few cookies for desert. And I'm not expending any more energy doing this than when I blow up demons."

Phoebe shrugged, then stared at the host of ingredients littering the kitchen counter before cocking her head in confusion. She picked up the bag of semi-sweet chips and held them up in front of the other woman, "Ok. But since when do you put chocolate chips in the oatmeal raisin cookies?"

She answered in irritated tone before reaching over the counter to turn up the baby-monitor, "Since I'm making chocolate chip cookies, NOT oatmeal raisin."

Phoebe winced uncomfortably, "And they're for OUR desert?"

"Yes."

Phoebe watched her sister beat the mix furiously. She waited a few moments for the other woman to catch onto her subtle hint, but she was oblivious so she added gently, "Honey, no one in the house likes chocolate chip. Only Chris…"

"Don't be silly—" she began before abruptly stopping what she was doing. Piper stared down at the ingredients before inhaling sharply. Her eyes watered as she tried to focus on the words from the flour bag.

Phoebe reached out to put an arm around her sister as she realized her mistake. That she had toiled for hours unconsciously making something that only he liked, but was no longer there to enjoy them.

Piper stalked over to the counter top where a fresh batch had already been cooling, grabbed the cookie sheet and dumped them in the trash can angrily before tossing the tray in behind them. Furthering her brief fit of rage, she threw the bowl and any ingredients within her reach onto the floor before running out of the room, the slamming of her bedroom door echoing through the house.

Surveying the mess on the floor, Phoebe began to tear up, feeling her own guilt bubbling to the surface. Leaning against the kitchen counter, her mind started to flash through all of her family member's behavior lately. Everyone had seemed, 'off', somehow. Clumsy, a little distracted, and certainly not on top of their game. They had just been lucky that none of the demon attacks had been very organized. The whole manor had seemed to radiate a depressing and gloomy feel, and none of them had picked up on, or perhaps simply acknowledged the reason for it.

Her shoulders started to shake as she sank to the floor, brushing up against the kitchen cabinet. The weight of the situation, of all that had happened lately, especially her own guilty conscience, threatened to overwhelm her through the sobs that now shook her body.

Now that he was gone, the Empath would regret how she treated him for the rest of her life. From the first day he arrived, until the day she thought she was sending him back to the future, she had never been very supportive of him. Even after she found out that he was indeed, her nephew. Unlike Piper, who had warmed up and mothered him instantly after finding out; or Leo who never stopped trying to be a good father to him; or even Paige who had constantly teased him like a little brother—welcoming him as part of the family the only way she knew how. And despite their differences, her younger sister had even been there for him when he needed her. Especially in his final hours.

But Phoebe couldn't claim any of that. When Leo had tried to get them to go back to the Manor and watch over him, she had shied away from the duty in favor of staying with her sister—because someone had to.

At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

Thinking back on it now, she could see that she was just afraid. If there was nothing they could do for him, he would die thinking of her as a horrible person; one who had dragged her feet or outright refused to help him be born; refused to help him in his quest to save his brother; refused to welcome him as she knew she should have.

But if Piper didn't make it, it was far easier to be supportive of a sister who would know without a doubt that she loved them. Chris was different, though. She never could understand what it was about him that put her on the defensive, or what even prevented her from expressing to him how she really felt. Even her somewhat tearful goodbye at Magic School wasn't good enough. If actions spoke louder than words, hers would have done nothing to prove her case to him.

Had everything gone according to plan in the future, he would remember coming back to the past and most likely, how badly she had treated him. But she had thought and hoped that if she hurried him along back to his time, she would have decades to make up for her mistakes to him. And that's what he would remember most. A doting Aunt.

Phoebe wrapped her arms around herself as she drew her knees to her chest. She spoke to herself, as if hearing it out loud would somehow make it easier. "When he grows up, he's not going to remember any of this. He's not going to be who he was. He's not going to know that I loved him."

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Upstairs, Piper's tantrum had woken the baby sleeping in the bassinet. She reached in to pick up the fussing infant, but he sensed her distress and refused to be quieted. She whispered soothingly, "Momma's sorry, sweetie. She didn't mean to wake you up. I'm sorry, baby—ssshhh."

The whaling gradually grew louder, and Piper's own frustration built until she was crying right along with him. She wished she could freeze him to make it stop since nothing she did or said would calm him. Finally, she laid him down on the bed and patted his back as she decided to try something different. Through her own tears, she spoke soothingly to him in words that she knew he didn't understand yet, but somehow made her feel better to let them out. "I'm sorry, Chris. I'm sorry I wasn't there to keep you safe. I never should have trusted Gideon. I wasn't careful enough. I should have written that damned spell myself, and you would already be home right now. I just hope you don't hate me. Because I couldn't stand that if you did. I love you too much to have you hate me. I know I didn't say it often when you were old enough to hear it, but I do, you know."

As she kept talking, Piper barely noticed that the baby had relaxed and fallen asleep under touch. "I didn't say a lot of things I should have when you were old enough. I know that sounds strange, but how else could it sound in a family like ours. I know I mentioned it briefly, but I should have said things like how proud I am of you for coming back here, despite everything, and all the obstacles. Especially for putting up with us. I know that takes patience because not even those pacifist Elders can put up with us. So I guess I must have done something right for you to turn out so well."

She smiled warmly, stroking the baby-fine hair softly as she pictured his face, "…And so handsome. I have a feeling I'm going to have to blow up some of those fresh teenage girls that will be chasing my little boy."

Suddenly, Piper blinked and swiped furiously at the water flowing down her cheeks. "I made you some chocolate chip cookies this morning. Do you remember when you first told me you liked them? I was making oatmeal, and then you came in snagged one before looking at it. I keep picturing that cute little way you scrunched up your face trying not to spit it out, just so you wouldn't hurt my feelings. Well guess what? I remembered this time." Her voice choked on a lump in her throat, but she felt she needed to continue. "But I guess I didn't remember that—"

She sniffled and wiped her eyes again, whispering softly, "I miss you. I don't know why I made them. I just keep doing things like that. Maybe my mind is trying to keep me from forgetting, and I don't ever want to forget you and what you did. I know you'll probably be different now. And I know it's wrong of me, but—I'm kind of hoping that you'll remember a little. Not the bad parts or anything, but—maybe just enough so that I know I never will. And you'll look at me and give me that cocky little smile of yours that's always kind of made me laugh and wonder where you got it."

As Piper laid down beside the baby, she didn't notice that her youngest sister was watching her from the doorway, silently sharing her tears before orbing away.

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Paige didn't know where she was running to when she fled from Piper's room, and she didn't particularly care. She just wanted to get away from there, where she wouldn't be forced to remember the terrible event that happened in that room not long ago.

She had been careful to avoid her sisters bedroom like the plague, and hadn't returned since the day after little Chris was born.

At Leo's request, and only for him, did she even dare step foot in the room. Apparently, her brother-in-law was having as hard a time as she looking at the bed where her nephew had lain before he—faded away.

Steeling herself for the task, she held her breath as she entered and started to pull the comforter off the bed, intent on destroying the offending object. The blood stains were gone, faded away with him, but for some strange reason, she could still see them. She couldn't get them out of her mind, in fact. Squeezing her eyes shut tight, she still saw his fate on that horrible day. Dropping the blanket back on the bed, she orbed downstairs and grabbed the phone book. Leafing through it, she called a local mattress company. "Hello, yes, can you tell me if you deliver? Great. Um, do you also remove the old set? Perfect. No, it doesn't matter what kind. The best one you've got, ok? Whatever. Just--get it here today…"

For weeks afterward, Paige hadn't been able to get much of the incident out of her mind. And she had thought she was doing better, even encouraging her sister to go out. But seeing the mother drowning in her own sorrows, and talking to him as if he were still there, only brought her pain out of hiding once more. And she wanted to forget.

When she orbed, she landed at the one spot where she couldn't. The back office of P3. The room that he had occupied in his 15-month stay in the past. Looking around in a frustrated panic, she thought back to when she held his hand tightly in those last hours, oblivious to the team of officers hanging back in the doorway. Day in and day out, she had tried to forget his literal death bed confession, but it lingered relentlessly. She just couldn't seem to get it unglued from her mind…

* * *

_Paige kneeled on the floor beside the bed as she stroked his hair back soothingly, "Everything's going to be fine. You're going to be fine, Chris. And Leo is going to find Wyatt. And we're going to heal you, and then send you back home." _

_His pained and ragged whispers were spoken so softly, that she had to lean in close to his ear to make it out. "..not going home." _

_"No, Chris, don't talk like that. We always find a way." _

_"..dieing, Paige. Don't want to. Scared…" _

_Paige jumped back in terror, her heart beating wildly. She had never heard him admit to any feeling, and had only barely seen any through the brave front he always wore. For him to admit the fear only heightened her sense of dread, in that maybe this time, they wouldn't be able to find a solution. _

_Frantically, she stood up and shoved her way past the guards, hoping that if she yelled loud enough, Leo would return in enough time to save his son. But that was not to be the case… _

* * *

Paige now found herself curled up on the couch in the tiny back office, only vaguely aware of how and when she had sat down. For weeks now, Paige had tried to forget that horror by any means possible—work, cleaning, even drawing on happier memories with him. But the images were just too powerful to ignore. Every time she found a good one, it would resurface and fill in the blanks again. It was worse in areas that reminded her of him. 

She spun around frantically to leave, knocking over a bowl of business cards Piper had left on the desk in the process. It made her smile briefly, as it was his suggestion to introduce the idea of picking one lucky winner a night out of the bowl to get a free drink. The first few times they had done it, a fake handwritten business card with his name had mysteriously appeared as the winner. His self appointed job titles to describe his whitelighter duties were amusing in themselves, and had given them all a good laugh. 'Private Investigator', 'Personal Assistant', 'Travel Agent', just to name a few.

She bent over to pick up the pile when her attention was suddenly drawn to one by her foot. She read it silently to herself, shaking her head and discarding the thought. No, it wouldn't work. She didn't need that. But then again, maybe she would finally be able to work through some of those pent up feelings.

Bending the card between her fingers, she made her way over to the phone at the desk, working up the courage to call the number. After several long moments of debate, she dialed. "Hi. Is this the number for Maria Wheaton? My name is Paige Matthews, and I'd like to make an appointment."

The woman on the other end answered politely, "Yes, dear. I'm glad you've decided to call us and take this first step. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions before you meet with Maria?"

"No, not all." Paige answered softly. Being familiar with the business, she was aware of some of the questions and was prepared for the answers. She didn't even think twice about it when the woman asked 'who'. She answered immediately, "My little brother…" , tears again welling in her eyes as she reread the card that said, 'Maria Wheaton, Grief Counselor'.

Tbc…

AN: thank you sooooo much for the wonderful reviews:) They really pull me out of the slump I call schoolwork.


	31. He did it for me31

He did it for me

Chapter 31

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: Hey, a nice somewhat long chapter for ya. (well long for me)—just to show you how much I appreciate the wonderful reviews:)

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After they saw and felt many more moments from Leo and the sisters, everyone in the room felt drained and began to pull back to conserve energy.

Wyatt, however, had other ideas. He decided to take advantage of the current situation and show them much of what he had learned in the past several hours. He began to pull words and images from their earlier conversation into his mind, transmitting it to the others.

Chris panicked when he realized what his brother was doing and jumped up, breaking the connection. "Wyatt, NO!"

He calmed the younger boy with a half joking-half serious look, "To know you is to love you, Chris. They need to understand. They need to know you, and there's not a lot of time to do it. For once, I know what I'm doing. Trust me, will ya?"

Wyatt gently pushed his shoulders, guiding him until he was again joining the circle. He glanced at the younger man sitting cross-legged in between his parents to make sure he would stay put before closing his eyes in concentration. He held his hands out, and someone found them both as he replayed earlier revelations.

Before he could show many scenes, Phoebe interrupted, "How do you know any of this, Wyatt?"

He answered shortly, "Because I asked him. I took the time, and I asked him." Wyatt asked the question that he knew had been Chris' mind, "You know I can understand how he's feeling. I mean, how was he supposed to know how much you cared for him when you never bothered to find out anything about him?"

"Wyatt—" his mother began.

"No. Do you know anything about him? Anything at all?" he asked them sadly. At the downcast and shame ridden faces, he answered the question himself. "You don't know anything about him or his life. Well I think it's time you learned…"

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_Earlier that evening…_

"…I had a life they never knew. They didn't want to know."

"Did you want them to?" the blonde haired man asked.

Chris shrugged his shoulders, doing his best to feign indifference. "Sure, I guess. But it's not like I could just walk in and say, 'Hi! I'm your son, your nephew—Chris Halliwell from the future. How about you pretend you give a damn and lets play 20 questions…"

"No, smartass. But maybe you could volunteer something?"

"Like what?"

Blue eyes squinted at him in irritation, "Hey, here's a thought to start out with: "Hi, my name is Chris Halliwell, and my favorite color is--this is where you come in, Chris."

He replied mildly startled, "Oh, uh—greenish-blue."

"Good start. And my favorite thing to do is…"

Chris answered hours worth of questions in the same manner, imagining what he would say to his family if it had been them asking.

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Before long, Wyatt began to change the scene to what he believed was Chris' pivotal moment. The event that changed his life and made him who he was.

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…"_Happy Birthday tooooo youuuu." Nearly everyone finished singing and cheering as Piper brought out the cake lit with candles for her youngest to blow out. "Make a wish, sweetheart." _

_Chris looked through the flames at the cake, laughing when he saw the words 'Happy Birthday' scrawled across the top in his mother's sloppy handwriting. Directly below it was a picture of an oddly drawn peanut symbolizing her nickname for him since he was a baby. Piper Halliwell had been many things in her life—a chef, a witch, a goddess, a superhero, a popular nightclub owner, but an artist she was not. He looked up and even saw his surly older brother peeking over his shoulder and cracking a tiny smile at the design. Definitely a priceless moment. He was thrilled when his Aunt Phoebe snapped a picture of the two boys sharing a grin in front of their mother, who smiled back at the camera proudly. He vowed to get that picture from her since it was indeed a rare occurrence for the older boy to express anything other than displeasure. _

_He chuckled softly as Wyatt saw the flash, his hardened expression returning and immediately took a step toward his aunt to retrieve the evidence of his momentary weakness. She ran to the other side of the table playfully waving the camera in front of him, "ah ah ahh. This is for Chris. You wouldn't deny your baby brother this tiny little moment of everlasting happiness, would you?"_

_Phoebe turned and gave her youngest sister a high five as soon as Wyatt turned his back and orbed away sulkily. _

_Piper noticed the almost non-existent wax and the flames licking at the icing, so she froze what was left, "Hurry up, Chris. You're not going to have any cake left if you don't blow them out and make a wish."_

_He motioned for her to unfreeze them before staring dazedly into the fire. He took a deep breath and leaned over the cake, blowing with every last ounce of breath he had in his body, hoping that if he did it right this time, maybe his wish would come true. He leaned back a little lightheaded as his mom put her hand on his shoulder with concern, "Easy there, Peanut. You're going to make yourself dizzy."_

_Phoebe held the camera up prepared for another picture, anticipating him asking for the new holo-game she had wrapped for him on the table. She asked excitedly, "What did you wish for? Because you never know, you might get it." _

_The teenager answered dejectedly before getting up from the table and heading toward the couch, "The same thing I wish for every year. For Dad to come."_

_Everyone held their breaths sadly at his response. An uncomfortable silence had filled the room. The doorbell rang, and being closest to it and wanting to avoid the look of heartbreak in her godchild's eyes again, Sheila practically ran to answer it. Her voice lowered at seeing who was on the other side, "Hello. Did you forget something, cause I'll be more than happy to get it for you while you wait here."_

_"I need to see Piper," the tall dark haired man answered, his eyes looking over the woman and peering into the house. _

_Sheila had only met the man a few times, but had never quite trusted him. When she had first encouraged her friend to stop pining over her former husband and start seeing other people, she was glad when they had been introduced. But it was fairly evident shortly after their first meeting that he was not the caring and compassionate man that Piper believed him to be. The possessive and jealous behavior he exerted over her was a dangerous combination. The attention she lavished on her children seemed to bring out the behavior even more so in his secretive and shifty glares at the boys. _

_She had urged her friend to stop seeing him when she first witnessed it, for the sake of her children. She started to close the door, "Now is not a good time, Kevin." _

_He stuck his foot in to prevent the door from closing before he pushed his way past her, knocking her down in the process. "Piper! Get out here now!"_

_Shaking her head angrily, Piper twitched her hands by her sides, ready to freeze him if he caused any problems. "See this is why we broke up. Now we're trying to have a nice birthday celebration for my son. So do me a favor, and get out!"_

_Kevin pointed to Chris, "NO—HE'S why we broke up. Him and that other little bastard son of yours." His blue eyes suddenly turned a bright shade of red as he formed a fireball, surprising everyone in the room._

_The Charmed sisters all gasped in shock while Sheila asked her friend before ducking into a corner, "Can't you girls ever date someone who's NOT magical?"_

_Piper ducked behind the couch as she pushed her son out of the way, narrowly avoiding being hit by the volley of angry fireballs he sent in every direction in the manor. She called out to the woman, "This is SO not the time to be on my case…Besides, you're the one who wanted me to start dating again." _

_She noticed that while the demon was focusing on the Charmed Ones, Sheila was completely ignored in the corner. Deciding quickly that it was the safest place for Chris, she could get them both out of the line of fire while she and her sisters came up with a plan. Facing her son, "Chris, can you orb and get both yourself and your Aunt Sheila out of here?"_

_"Mom, I'm not leaving you." He declared forcefully. _

_"Please, Peanut. Do me this one favor. I'll take care of this." She peeked up quickly to see her sisters fighting frantically as well, each having no luck with their powers against him, and resulting to orbing all over the room to avoid being hit. She flicked her own wrists in surprise as none of her powers seemed to effect her former boyfriend either. Her hand braced his shoulder, "Now go. Sheila doesn't have any powers to protect herself, so get her out of here please?" _

_Chris nodded reluctantly, orbing out from under her touch. He slipped back in to the other side and reached for his godmother to get her to safety. The faster he helped her, the faster he could get back and help his mother._

_Bitter over Piper's rejection, Kevin saw the twinkling of orbs out of the corner of his eye and smiled sinisterly, recognizing his chance for hurting her in the most painful way possible. He spied the boy slowly rematerializing and powered up a fire ball, releasing it the second his small form took shape. _

_From her position on the floor where she had been hit by fallen debris, Paige saw what was about to happen and tried to redirect the ball of flames heading directly for her nephews back, only succeeding in shifting it a bit as it clipped his side._

_The impact sent Chris hurtling across the floor as he cried out in pain, the keening sound forcing Piper out in the open as she called out for her son. _

_With a satisfied smirk, Kevin turned and fired another round at the distraught mother, having only seconds to enjoy the damage he had wrought upon the household. A second twinkling of orbs formed in front of him before he felt the cold steel burning and disintegrating his flesh from the inside out. _

_Left in the wake of the echoing screams, Wyatt stood holding Excalibur and shifted his gaze from his mother to his brother. Both injured fatally, he closed his mind off to her pained gasps and went to his brother's side. _

_Phoebe shouted for her brother-in-law, knowing that time was of the essence and that Wyatt could only heal one of the two. If Leo came, both could be saved. She dropped to her knees in tears, holding onto her oldest sisters hand through the ragged breathing. "LEO! Piper, don't do this. Don't leave us like this…Chris. Wyatt. They need you…I need you."_

_Piper's body shook as she fought to sit up, her only concern was for the dark-haired teenager that was currently enduring the laborious process of being healed on the other side of the room. "Chris?"_

_"Wyatt's got him."_

_Hearing that her son was safe, Piper closed her eyes as her head fell back against her sister._

_Paige crawled over to her, willing healing powers that she never possessed to suddenly find their way into her hands. She yelled at the ceiling, her vision clouded with tears, "LEO! IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME TO COME DOWN HERE AND HEAL, NOW IS IT! Piper needs you…" _

_Now almost fully healed, Chris sat up looking around frantically for his mother. He panicked when he saw his Aunts huddled over her still frame. He noted with terror that her chest did not move with the telltale signs of breathing. "MOM!" his teenaged voice screeched, trying desperately to break free of Wyatt's strong grip to get to her. _

_"She's gone, Chris." Wyatt replied, only the barest hint of emotion tingeing his voice. _

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When the vision ended, a somber and depressive mood draped over them like a blanket. They found out more in the last hour then they had in the entire year and a half they had known him.

Prue seemed to have calmed considerably in light of all that she had witnessed. But the hard-edge to her tone and words had not diminished completely. She spoke softly, "I'm putting it mildly when I say that Chris has had a difficult life since the day he was born. And none of you made it easier for him while he was here the first time. His afterlife has been just as painful, if not more so as a result. Mom, Grams, and I have been there for him ever since the day he died and have tried so hard to make things better for him. But there's only so much we can do, and the rest is up to you. There's not enough time to do it in one day, but you all have about 19 years worth of sucking up to do."

Paige was determined to explain to her new found sibling, "But we didn't do it on purpose! You saw for yourselves how we felt; what we were thinking; how hard it was. You have to know that we never would have—"

Piper placed a hand on her arm, gently demanding her baby sister's attention. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw her husband reach for her other hand. Years of being together had told her in the squeeze of a response from him, he felt as she did. With a deep sigh that caused another sob to erupt from her, she muttered softly, "They're right, Paige. We messed up. And Chris paid the price for it, as always." Looking into his green eyes that stared back at her in confusion under the weight of her admission, she broke down and sobbed uncontrollably with guilt.

With her husband's comforting arm around her shoulder, she finally found her voice and took Chris' hand tightly, refusing to let him back away from her even though he tried. "I guess it's just easier to be angry about all of this than it is to face you. I know I messed up, baby. We all did. And I'm so sorry. I don't even know how to ask for your forgiveness. But please, even if you can't forgive us—please, believe me when I tell you that I love you. And I would never have left you there if I had thought for _ONE. SECOND. _that you were not already with us..."

Leo took his cue from Piper, finally able to voice things that he had tried desperately to forget over the past several decades. "I hated myself for failing you. I promised you I would get you home safely. You can't possibly know how much it hurt when you died. And when I lost you—I guess I just lost it. That's why I went on a rampage after the baby was born. I kept telling everyone that it was to keep the boys safe. And that may have been a small part of it. But mostly, I just didn't know how to handle loosing you. And it made the pain go numb for awhile. But it's never gone away. And now I find out that I let you down again—I don't know what to do, Chris. I love you so much, but I don't know how to make things right…Please tell me how?"

When he finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the room; including the misty green orbs of the one he spoke to.

Chris wanted to ignore Leo's plea, but deep down he couldn't. The look in the Elder's eyes reminded him of something important. He had quickly forgotten in the 19 years that had passed since he'd seen it, but it was still there. The blue eyes that bore into him now were again full of fear and concern, and a desperation only possible through the love of a parent for a child. It was the last thing he saw before he took his final breath. And it was that look alone that gave him the hope that eventually turned to despair. The hope that they would come for him; that they would want to see him; that they would care enough to look for him.

Looking around the room, he saw the same look in his Mother and Aunt's eyes. The intensity there made him shift uncomfortably. He wanted to believe that it was real. That they actually cared about him, and not someone else that he happened to look and sound like. But that niggling fear of rejection in the back of his mind still made him question suspiciously, "After all I did while I was here. Every lie I told you guys. Every time I manipulated you or made deals with demons. When I sent Leo to Valhalla and made him an Elder. When I betrayed your trust to get what I wanted. You hated me for those things before you knew who I was. How can you now tell me that you loved any of that?"

"Because we know why you did what you did," Leo answered.

Paige added, "You did it to save us."

Piper had not let go of his hand yet, and stroked it gently with her other hand. "You saved _me_. I didn't understand at the time why you were so hell bent on us giving up the idea of having '_normal' _lives. But that's why you went to that demon of desires, Gith, isn't it? To show us the error of our ways before it got us killed?"

Chris hung his head down shyly before mumbling, "Yeah. She thought he was '_normal', _and that's why she went out with him." His green eyes filled with water as he stared at the floor. "When you wouldn't give up the idea, I didn't think that I could save you."

Piper smiled warmly and tried to reassure him, "But you did."

"No, I didn't. I don't know what happened, but it wasn't something I did."

Leo put his hand on his shoulder tentatively, "It was you, Chris. You saved our whole family. And I know exactly how you did it." The younger boy eyed him with wary confusion before he continued confidently, "You told me that I was a terrible father to you, and that I was never there for you. I promised myself that I wouldn't let that happen again. So in this timeline, when Kevin made a pass at Piper that day in the mall—I was still in the picture because I wanted to be there for my son, and she turned him down. And she never died. Phoebe and Paige didn't die because the Power of Three was never broken. Wyatt was saved from turning because of you."

Leo looked around at everyone nodding emphatically before continuing, "You did all of that, single-handedly. And that is more honorable than anything you say you may have done that wasn't on the up-and-up. You gave us our lives back, Chris. How could we not love you? How could you think we would have just given you up had we known?"

Chris' voice trembled, fearing the answer as he looked up, "Well even if you had known about me. What would you have done?"

Leo spoke up quickly, "Gotten you back."

Chris shook his head, "Come on. With the baby being alive and well and _obviously _having a soul of his own—are you seriously trying to convince me that you would have fought to get me back?"

All of the family that he had been angry with chorused in together, "YES!"

"To go where?" he asked softly, "to replace the baby's soul with little ole' dysfunctional me? If we're laying all our cards on the table, can we at least be honest here?"

Leo didn't have to look for confirmation in those around him. He spoke with a conviction that he knew everyone else in the room felt as strongly as he did. "We would have found a way to keep you both. A Halliwell has never given up yet. Neither does a Wyatt. And we don't intend to start now. We're going to find a way…"

Tbc…


	32. He did it for me32

He did it for me

Chapter 32

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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Chris looked at his parents doubtfully as he repeated, "You really want me back? Even when the other Chris comes back?"

"Of course." They all confirmed.

Chris glanced up hesitantly, "But I don't have a body to go to."

Piper jutted her chin out with determination, "It doesn't matter." She cupped his face in her hands, "Now that we've found you--we're not giving you up again. We'll find a way."

"Yeah, even if I have to make you a body." Paige smiled mischievously, "You can have anything you want—How about it, Chris? Mr. Right? or _Mr. Wrong_?"

Phoebe's eyes glazed over, "Oooh—or Mr-Hot-Latin-Type-Right?"

Piper threw her hands to her hips, furious over the suggestions, "Absolutely not! I will not have the two of your drooling over my son!"

Prue elbowed Paige good naturedly before muttering under her breath, "_Three_. That David character you two cooked up was '_very' _impressive, sis. Do you still have that recipe?"

Paige recognized her oldest sister's attempt to make things right between them, and decided to brush aside their earlier disagreement as everyone tried to lighten the intense mood. After all, she and her two living sisters had fought plenty of times over the years, and she couldn't remember any of those times where they hadn't simply forgiven each other. And usually without the need for verbal apologies.

She straightened her shoulders proudly and asked Prue, "You really think so? I guess he was pretty good work. I mean, I made him to have _all _the right parts…"

Wyatt shared a disgusted look with his father. "I'm not sure exactly what it is you guys are talking about, but—eww! I'm sure it's just gross. Can we please talk about something else?"

Penny spoke up for the first time in hours, "I second that. I got a look at that David character and you girls are just _shameless_!" She watched all of the Charmed Ones, both past and present cast their glances at the floor in embarrassment. She turned around in a huff to appear stern, but was in fact barely able to suppress her own grin.

She was glad that things had worked out the way the did. Chris seemed happier now that he seemed to have found his own place in the family. The older woman backed away into the corner, tugging on Prue's shirt to lead her away and make themselves as unobtrusive as possible, giving the other's a bit of time for acceptance. Her lips curled up slightly watching the family all settle into a playful banter, gradually relaxing Chris and easing him into the "official" Halliwell fold.

Her thoughts, however, drifted unpleasantly to their missing youngest Halliwell, and she feared for his safety. Or rather, his sanity. It was time to get back to business. She only hoped silently, that there would be time for Chris to get to know his family later, and vice versa. Clearing her throat, she placed her hand on his shoulder gently while he quietly chatted with his mother and interrupted. "I'm so sorry to have to break things up, but I believe time is of the essence here. Chris is still in danger, and we still don't know who killed Christopher and why."

Piper explained quickly, "But we did find out. It was Julius behind all of this. He's the Angel of Death that made me one right after I had Chris—well, the other Chris." She turned to her family inquisitively as a thought suddenly struck her, "How are we going to tell them apart? They look and sound exactly the same."

Penny was about to answer, but Chris spoke for her. "Grams decided that I would still be called Chris. The other one—I mean the one you raised—is Christopher."

"Okkk", she drawled out, knowing how much her youngest hated to be called by his full name. "I bet he pitched a fit over that one. So anyway, Julius miscalculated."

Leo jumped in to explain as well, feeling an overwhelming need to be doing something. "He and the other Elders had been planning to kill Christopher since the day he was born. Matthias was insistent on some scroll being the reason that Julius would destroy the world, and that Chris—or Christopher—were destined to be time travelers and die at the age of 19, no matter what."

Piper grinned at the dark haired boy, "So we think that buys us some time to figure this whole mess out. They messed up. You've still got a good five years on Christopher…" her voice trailed off as he nervously ran his fingers through his hair and rocked back on his heels. She suddenly began to panic, "Chris? You're—Oh, please tell me we have some time?"

Leo looked just as scared as he counted on his fingers, "You were here for 15 months. If you had just turned 19 the day you—that's just not possible. That would mean that you would have been 17 when you got here."

Chris threw his hands in the air defensively as he grumbled out sarcastically, "Oh, give me a break! There's no way in the world that you would have even let me come close to being the Charmed Ones whitelighter if you knew how old I really was! You barely gave me a shot as it was. And you really think that as skeptical as you all were to begin with, you would have welcomed me with open arms if I had told you that I was _almost _eighteen!"

Even Penny was surprised at the admission. That fact was probably the one thing he had never elaborated on with her. She managed to stutter out, "But you were engaged to that woman…"

"Well, when you're a teenager left in the care of an evil tyrant who rules the world--you kind of grow up fast."

Wyatt saw that is his brother was quickly growing agitated again, and withdrawn. He didn't want him to feel alienated again, so he defended him, "Look guys, none of that really matters. We knew we were short on time to begin with. This doesn't change anything."

Leo wrapped his arms around the teen, "I'm sorry Chris. We're not blaming you for anything--just afraid of loosing you again. But this is just going to make us work harder, faster, to fix things. That's all." He tried to joke with him despite his nervousness, "We all work better under pressure, right?"

Chris grinned back, "Right. So what does Julius want with me?"

"I don't know, son." Leo's heart soared when Chris didn't push him away at the title, but merely smiled shyly. "But he's not going to get what he wants this time. We'll be here to make sure that doesn't happen. He's not coming near you if I—"

The Charmed Ones all cleared their throats at the same time.

Leo quickly corrected, "—sorry, if WE have anything to say about it."

Penny prepared herself mentally for the argument she knew would follow her words, "Actually, you don't have anything to say about it. Because you're not staying. None of you are, well, except for Wyatt."

"WHAT!" Piper yelled. "No! I just found him. I'm not going anywhere without my son!"

Penny sighed in frustration, "Prue and I hadn't expected for any of you to be here. You're not supposed to be here."

Phoebe crossed her arms defiantly, "Well, _we are here_. So now we just have to go from here."

"Wyatt's shield is still up, we just kind of slipped through. So no one can find him if that's what you're worried about." Paige pointed out helpfully.

Penny shook her head adamantly, "I'm sorry, but you're all a danger to Chris right now. They can't track him, and Wyatt needs to stay here to watch over him. But with all of you missing, you're just going to make it easier for the Elders to track you. You'll lead them straight to him. And we can't afford to let that happen. You have to go back. And that's final!" She turned and stomped out of the room to regain her composure, Prue trailing behind her.

When the younger woman caught up, she spun her grandmother around and whispered in a hushed tone, "What just happened back there? You were the one who was so gung-ho about Chris bonding with his family. And I supported both you and him in there to get that to happen. And now that's it is finally happening, you want them to just pack up and leave?"

"Prue—"

"Don't 'Prue' me Grams. You need to explain this to me, because I sure as hell don't understand. You've said it yourself a thousand times—we're stronger together as a family. Don't you think they can help?"

When Penny answered, tears filled her eyes. "I was telling the truth back there—all of them being here will make it easier for the Elders to find him."

Prue eyed the woman suspiciously, her fear growing when the older woman's voice wavered. "But that's not the only reason you want them gone, is it?"

"No. I don't--They can't be here when Clarence brings Christopher."

"I don't understand, they're not going to just throw Chris aside just because Christopher comes back."

"They won't be able to focus enough to keep the boys safe. I know my girls. How sensitive they are..."

Prue crossed her arms and leaned in closer, "What aren't you telling me, Grams?"

Penny took a deep breath, trying hard not to think about her own concerns for what she knew was, and probably had happened. "Christopher won't be in any shape for visitors," she said subtly, hoping that she wouldn't have to verbalize her thoughts. She watched Prue's gaze flicker for a moment, before realization seemed to dawn in her eyes and a look of horror befell her features. She nodded in confirmation, "They brought demons to a spiritual plain, Prue. No good could have come of that. They're running out of time just as we are. There's just no way that they would remain _patient _with him."

"When were you going to tell me?" the younger woman asked softly.

"Honestly? I wasn't planning on it at all. But I figured you wouldn't have time to dwell on it once you saw him here safe and sound. But I need your help to convince them to leave. Before it's too late. I trust Clarence. He will bring him back. And soon. Please Prue. Don't make this harder for them."

"I'll help you. I'll do what I can."

Tbc…

AN: THANK YOU so much for the reviews! You guys are so awesome. And I know—I have to tell you what's going on, and I will soon—I promise. You'll find out what's going on with Christopher next chapter, and maybe—even what the title stands for….hehe. I'm so excited. Yes, we're winding down, cause I'm already thinking about my next story. Plus, this turned out so much longer than I had originally planned.


	33. He did it for me33

He did it for me

Chapter 33

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

**YES—FINALLY I CAN SAY IT--Christopher just turned 19, Chris was already 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday:) **I promise, that it actually has to do with the plot and Julius' reasons. Ahh. I feel so much better being able to let that out now. And I'll feel a lot better when I can tell you what Julius wants them for, which I promise will be soon. Maybe even next chapter. I hope just hope you like it…

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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Prue walked calmly back into the room, reaffirming her grandmother's words. "She's right. Such a high concentration of this amount of power will be easy to track. The Charmed Ones, The Twice-Blessed Witch, an Elder, the Book of Shadows, and Halliwell Spirits all in one place? There may as well be a neon sign pointing to the cabin that says "he's in here". No, if you all care about Chris as much as I think you do, then you have to go back to the manor for now—without him."

Paige asked incredulously, "And do what? Stand around the attic twiddling our thumbs?"

"You can work on getting a hold of that scroll Piper and Leo mentioned. Maybe then we can figure out a way around all this so-called destiny crap." Prue saw Piper about to protest and walked over and hugged her tightly. She spoke softly into the woman's ear, "It's ok, honey. This isn't over, you'll see Chris again, I swear to you. But you have to do this to keep him safe right now."

Leo squeezed Chris' shoulder, glancing at him apprehensively. He was afraid that if they left, Chris would feel abandoned again and was prepared to refuse Penny's request. Or was it a demand, he thought to himself.

Chris was more than a little disappointed at the new turn of events. He had just begun to feel comfortable in their presence, and now they were being asked to leave—and he couldn't believe it. Not after Penny had been so insistent that he get to know them. A momentary look of hurt flashed across his features as he caught her eye. Though the look didn't last long as he studied her face. Her expression was one of restrained worry, and the fact that she was obviously—well obvious to him—trying very hard to hide that fact worried him right along with her. He glanced at his Aunt Prue, and noted the same suppressed fear.

Something was very wrong with the other two Halliwell spirits, and whatever it was, he knew that they would need his support; much like they had offered him on numerous occasions. He turned and addressed both his father and mother, "Go ahead guys. I'll be ok. Besides, Wyatt will be with me."

Piper started to protest, "Chris—"

"Go ahead. I won't be mad. Really. Unless of course, you don't come back for me. Then I'll haunt you for the rest of your lives."

Piper laughed at his sense of humor before throwing her arms around him. "Of course we'll come back." She squeezed him tighter and kissed his forehead, "I love you, Chris."

He beamed brightly as those three magical words that he had been waiting to hear seemed to flow so naturally from her lips.

No sooner had she released her smothering grip on him, that everyone else turned and did the same before getting up to leave.

While they were doing that, Piper discreetly walked over to her grandmother and asked quietly, "And my other Chris. Since it was clearly _you _who switched them, I assume he's ok?"

Penny quickly put on a false smile as she led her down the steps, "Of course, Darling. Now you run along, find that scroll, and we'll take care of things here. I'll find a way to get a message to you when things clear up."

Leo headed down the stairs after them, followed by Sheila, Phoebe, and Paige. Reaching the center of the living room, they turned and waived to Chris standing on the balcony before linking hands—disappearing in a swirl of blue and white lights.

Chris narrowed his eyes at Penny, crossing his arms suspiciously, "What's going on?"

"Whatever do you mean, dear?" she asked innocently.

"Not gonna' work, Grams. The two of you practically threw them out of here. And after nearly two decades, I think I know you both well enough to figure out that something is wrong. So spill." He turned to the woman standing next to him, fidgeting nervously, "Aunt Prue? You want to tell me what's going on?"

Prue bowed her head, refusing to answer, instead letting the task fall to the older woman slowly making her way back up the stairs.

Penny placed a hand on either young man's shoulder leading them to the bedroom, "I think you two had better sit down…"

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LOCATION UNKNOWN… 

Clarence was positively mortified when he entered the room. The Halliwell boy looked quite like a rabid animal, particularly since he was currently engaged in biting one of the demons that tried to restrain him.

He sighed deeply, fearing it was already too late to save him. The way he fought back was ruthless and vicious, landing punch after kick; and given what they had been most likely been doing to him, Clarence would have been proud of the boy if it weren't for the fact that he feared that he had already lost his mind.

There appeared to be nothing left of the sweet and gentle-natured boy he had looked in on from time to time. But now, he had been pushed too far.

Feeling discouraged, Clarence was tempted to turn around and leave, but he promised the boy's great-grandmother he would return him to her, and he fully intended to keep that promise.

Before he could step forward and announce his presence, he heard the boy yelling something in between the curses that made him question his insanity. He leaned in and listened intently for a moment longer.

Chris struggled against the demons trying to hold him down, yelling vehemently, "I'M NOT GONNA' DO IT! This is what he wants! Why can't you see that! I WON'T DO IT! I WON'T BE THE CAUSE!"

Clarence had seen enough, though his words were abruptly cut off when they covered his mouth. They boy's words seemed to indicate that he was clearly aware of what he was talking about. A new hope surged through him—perhaps he wasn't lost to them after all.

He strolled out of the shadows, surprising everyone in the room. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" he commanded in deep, booming voice. "Let him go, he's coming with me."

Raina gasped in surprise as she stepped in front of Christopher. "Clarence? You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you. You're a disgrace to every good magical being there ever was."

The Elder flushed with embarrassment and seemed to be offended. She pointed to the teen, "This is necessary evil. It has not been done out of malice. But only for a good cause."

Clarence scoffed indignantly, "Trying to destroy his soul? That's for a good cause?"

"That is not our intention. We simply must know where the other is—and HE is the stubborn one who refuses to answer. None of this would go on were he not so obstinate. Julius is one of your own. You know he can and will set a chain of events in motion that will destroy the world unless he gets what he wants."

"He doesn't have that kind of power."

"Perhaps not. But he knows where to get it. And he has sworn to use it."

The Angel narrowed his eyes at her pointedly, "And I have sworn to return this young man to his family. What you're doing is wrong, and I will not let it continue."

Raina's eyes widened and she moved to stop him, "You can't do that. The fate of the entire world rests with him. He MUST remain here. Julius will not tolerate his removal, and I will not allow it either." She raised her hands and prepared to strike him with her lightening.

Clarence smirked at the futile action, "That's your problem, lady, not mine. It's not like you can stop me." He waived his hand in front of her face, shaking his head as her entire body froze mid-sentence. He stepped around her, freezing all of the demons in the room, including the ones that held the Halliwell boy.

Immediately, Christopher stopped struggling as Clarence reached down and pried the demon's stiff fingers from his arms.

Taking the extended hand that was offered to help him stand, Christopher questioned him anxiously, "What happened? You can freeze like my mom? Who are you?"

Clarence smiled warmly, "Let me work backwards—I'm Clarence. Our range is a whole lot larger than your mother's—tends to extend across the universe to anything we choose--freezing is one of our main powers. It allows us to collect the souls to take them where they need to go. But Raina should know better. You can't fight the Angel of Death, no matter who you are."

Eyes wide with fear, Christopher began backing away, tripping over the demons and breathing heavily at the revelation. He shook his head in a panic, "No. No. NO—I won't do it! Stay away from me!"

He spoke in a gentle voice as he tried to help him up, "Take it easy, son. I'm not going to hurt you. Your great-grandmother Penny sent me to get you." He pulled back as the young man scrambled to get away from him in a desperate panic. Sighing sadly, Clarence stood up and asked him softly, "You're not going to make this easy for me are you?" Not waiting for an answer, he waived his hand again, freezing the wide-eyed stare in it's tracks.

As he bent down and scooped the boy into his arms, he brushed a careful hand over his face and closed off the sight of those bright green orbs. Even to the Angel of Death, the terrified stare within them was unsettling. He wondered, not for the first time, what could have caused it. But now that he was returning him to his family, he was secretly glad that it was them that would be charged with finding out.

Tbc…

AN: wow! 2 chapters in 2 days. That's got to be a new record for me. But I'm trying to finish it up for you, so I've been writing until my fingers were about to fall off. I had every intention of adding more to this chapter, but I just can't—Im sorry. I got to get back to homework. But at least Christopher is safe now, or is he?


	34. He did it for me34

stupid thing wouldn't let me make a change..., so forgive me if a sentence toward the end duplicates a couple of times.

**HAPPY (MUCH BELATED) BIRTHDAY TO **

**IcantthinkofaFnick**

* * *

He did it for me

Chapter 34

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Christopher just turned 19, Chris was already 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

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"WHAT!" both Wyatt and Chris screeched out at the same time after listening to Penny Halliwell inform them of the other Christopher's fate.

Chris shouted, "How can they be hurting him? How's that even possible, he's dead!"

Penny reached over and pinched his arm, eliciting a yelp from the young man. "_That's _how it's possible. Just like you, Christopher has not crossed over yet. Therefore, he is neither completely dead nor completely alive. That is the only way that it would be possible to bring him back to life fully—which is why your Aunt Prue, Grandma Patty, and myself all intercepted you both when you died. In case there were a way to bring you back, it could only happen if you hadn't made it to the other side where we are."

Wyatt's eyes flashed angrily as he hissed between clenched teeth, "All this time, you've been hiding the fact that my little brother is up there most likely being tortured for information, and we could have been up there saving him? How could you not have told us? _Have you lost your mind?_"

Penny bristled defensively, "I didn't tell you because there is nothing you can do about it. You're not dead Wyatt. You can't go storming a spiritual plane otherwise."

"I'm half whitelighter, and they managed to show up there!"

"They've also died. And demons have an element of death in them to begin with."

Chris glared at the woman, "This is ridiculous! Then you should have sent me! I'm dead. I can get him back!"

Prue quickly answered, "No, they want _both of you_. If you go storming the place, they'll have exactly what they want for who knows what reason"

"Then what were the three of you doing? Why didn't you go after him?" Chris accused angrily.

"Because we can't find him," Penny answered simply. "We tried, but we can't contact him or Patty. She was with him when they took him."

Chris shook his head, "But spirits with a genetic bond can always hear each other, so that doesn't make any sense."

Prue began, "They're blocking us somehow," she looked to her grandmother to tell them the rest.

Sighing Penny guiltily admitted, "Even if they weren't, he wouldn't know how to contact us. We didn't have time to show him how before you left to come here. It's not like we were expecting them to do something like this."

Wyatt threw his hands up in frustration before jumping up, "Well, we can't just sit around here doing nothing and making excuses of why we can't go after him. I'm going to get my little brother back, even if I have to get myself killed to do it!"

Penny tried to calm her oldest great-grandson, and gently pushed his shoulders until he was again sitting. "No, Wyatt, you will not. I'm not letting you get yourself killed. I have an old friend rescuing him as we speak. He's the only one who can do it. He's more powerful than the elders and the demons combined, and he can just walk in there and get him."

Chris shook his head and started to pace nervously, "No, no, this isn't right. If I hadn't come down here, he wouldn't even be in this situation. I have to help him," he said as he bolted for the door before either woman could stop him.

Fearing for his safety, Prue dived and grabbed his leg as he reached the door, tripping him in the process and causing him to land face first into the floor. She sat on his back, pinning his arms with her knees as she tried to reason with him. "Chris! Stop it. There's nothing you can do besides get yourself caught."

His voice was muffled by the carpet, "…off-me". She leaned in closer to hear, but the part she did catch didn't sound very friendly.

"What?" she questioned.

He flipped his head to the side for her to hear him more clearly. His voice dipped down dangerously low as he enunciated slowly, "I…_said_…GET…THE…F—"

"CHRISTOPHER PERRY HALLIWELL!" Penny interrupted before he could complete the sentence she knew was following with his short temper and admonished him. "Now you stop this nonsense and listen! We will get Christopher back, I promise you. In fact, Clarence should be arriving any minute with him. I didn't tell Prue either until an hour ago, so don't be angry with her, she's only trying to help you. And I didn't tell any of you because there was no other way to get him back, which is why I called on Clarence to do it. He promised he would bring him home to us."

Wyatt paced nervously and growled in frustration, "How do you know he'll do it? We can't trust anybody these days!"

Penny said confidently, "I trust Clarence. I trusted him with Chris' life 20 years ago." Looking to the brunette on the floor, "Chris, who do you think sent him to take care of you when you nearly ceased to exist? Hmm? Who do you think pleaded with them to spare your soul when they were simply going to erase your existence from the face of the earth as if it had never happened? Me. That's who. As soon as I found out who you were, I did everything in my power to protect you. And it was Clarence I sought out to help me do that. He came through. He pleaded with them and tipped the scales in your favor when my word simply wasn't enough. So yes, he will do it. He promised me. All we have to do is be a little patient and give him the time he needs to get him."

Chris calmed a bit hearing of the Angel's involvement, but he still felt terribly guilty for being safe while his counterpart was not. Further still, he felt responsible for what the young man was probably going through since it was him that they were after. His eyes watered uncontrollably as he stared up at his great-grandmother, "This is taking too long to wait. I know what he's going through."

Wyatt's head shot down to him and he questioned with wide eyes, "What?"

Chris ignored his brother and continued, "Please Grams? You have to let me help him. Don't start treating me like a baby just because you found out how old I was. It doesn't change anything. Not after everything I did and went through to save this family."

As Penny stared into those wide green eyes, pleading with her, she was tempted to throw caution to the wind and let him do as he asked. Thankfully for her, at that same moment, she heard her daughter's voice call out for her in her mind. She looked up toward the ceiling, whispering, "Patty?"

The remaining two Halliwell spirits had both heard the telepathic call at the same time, ignoring Wyatt's questioning words and worrisome glances at their sudden silence.

Prue eased off of her nephew and helped him up, turning her head away to avoid the piercing glare he shot her.

Tired of being ignored, Wyatt spun Chris around and asked him heatedly, "What the hell is going on?" He mentally cursed himself for causing Chris to shrink away from him slightly at the anger in his voice. He hadn't meant to direct it towards him, but the younger man was the closest person standing next to him, and thus—the easiest target. He forced himself to soften his voice, "I'm sorry Chris. I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just upset, but not at you, bro. Honestly. Could you please tell me what's going on?"

Accepting the apology, Chris answered, "Clarence found him. They're with Grandma Patty now. He's bringing them both home, but they just needed to know where we are. Grams told them. They should be here soon."

Relief washed over Wyatt's features as he made a fist. "Yes! Is he ok?"

He shrugged, "They didn't say."

Penny looked up again and added, "They're here. Wyatt, you'll have to lower your shield for a moment, then as soon as they're in—raise it again—say the spell from the book. I don't want to take any chances. Everyone ready? Ok, go!"

No sooner had Wyatt lowered his shield, that Clarence appeared holding the limp six-foot frame in his arms, while the dark-haired woman held onto the boy's hand tightly.

Taking charge once again, Penny pointed to the mattress. "Lie him down on the bed," she directed the Angel. She watched as her family gathered around all corners of the bed. She bent down and smoothed the stray hairs from his forehead, "He's so stiff. And he's not moving." She glanced to over to the man worriedly.

"I'm sorry, Penny. I had to freeze him. There was no other choice."

Patty nodded her head eagerly as shewent to hug her oldest daughter and mother. "He's right, Mom. Clarence saved us. But Christopher was a bit—"

"Upset," supplied the man.

"I was going to say hysterical, actually. There was nothing we could do to calm him. As soon as he saw me, he kept yelling 'You're not real! You're not real! Go away!' He was fighting us so badly, that Clarence had to freeze him again just so we could get out of there."

"Can you wake him now?"

"Sure, but then I'd better be going before he sees me. He didn't react very well to me. They didn't treat him so nice while he was there."

Penny nodded her head sadly, not needing to hear any further details, "I understand." She threw her arms around the Angel and bid him farewell, "Clarence—thank you so much. How can I ever thank you?"

"We'll talk about that later. When this is all over. I hope things work out for you and your family. I'll see you around."

Before waking the other and leaving, Clarence spoke to Chris. "It's nice to see you again, Chris."

Green eyes shifted nervously, "Um, yeah. You too, I guess."

Clarence chuckled, "It's ok. I don't expect a warm welcome, but I'm not here for you. I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of everything you did. That's all." Addressing everyone,"Block his view of me until I get out of here." Clarence waived his hand toward the bed, once again waking the youngest Halliwell witch before disappearing into the night.

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Inhaling sharply, Christopher immediately began thrashing wildly. Strong arms were holding him down once again and he knew that his earlier visions were merely hallucinations. His sage green eyes darted around the room in a panic, focusing on each face. They looked like his family, which just wasn't possible. He was being held by an Elder and plenty of demons that only wanted to hurt him. He was so angry with himself for making them up to look like people who cared about him.

They even sounded like them. He hated his own stupid mind so much for making him think like this when he needed to be fighting. He couldn't afford to let his guard down, not now. He willed them to go away so he could focus on the demons, but nothing changed. He didn't want to give in, but he was so tired.

Out of frustration, Christopher dropped his back to the ground. It even felt like a pillow. That did it. They were going to win. He couldn't make his own mind cooperate any more. But in a last ditch effort to sway them, he mumbled to the demons masquerading as his family, "Leave me alone, I'm not gonna' do it."

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It took Wyatt and Chris a few moments to realize that Christopher had stopped fighting them. That the shaking was merely the sobs wracking the teen's body, which only seemed to worsen as the women tried to comfort him.

They relaxed their grip, each looking at one another through tear-filled eyes and brushing aside the Halliwell women. They knew instinctively that they were the only ones who could get through to Christopher at the moment.

Christopher looked up as the one with his older brother's face let go of him, but still hovered fairly closely. '_Wyatt doesn't cry. That proves it, this can't be real'_, he thought.

Chris resorted to the only method of comfort he knew of, and joked with his 'twin'. "Hey, mini me. Calm down, will ya? You're freaking Wyatt out. And you know seeing the all-powerful Twice-Blessed-Witch freaking out is not a pretty sight."

He didn't think his own mind would concoct a stupid nickname like that for himself. His other self? Maybe…So was it possible? Was he home? Safe?

"Come on buddy, I'll even give you your clothes back. But I'm keeping the name Chris. You still get Christopher 'cause it always sounds like I'm in trouble when someone calls me that. I guess that's because I usually was."

Wyatt picked up on the tactic as he saw Christopher beginning to respond, although warily. "Yeah, Grams said you have to be called Christopher. I can get used to it. Come on kid, he's right—you're freaking me out. You have to come around sometime—besides, you've got an economics paper due on Thursday. You know your teacher isn't going to give you an extension because of a little thing like you dieing. Come on kid—you're home now. You're safe…I promise."

Christopher looked around at the sympathetic faces hopefully as he thought about what his brother and counterpart had just said to him. 'Kid'. That was the nickname that Wyatt always used on him even though they were less than two years apart. Besides, he was much too serious about school, and he didn't think his mind would make jokes about it like that. Glancing around the room, he didn't recognize his surroundings—so his mind couldn't make that up, right? He gulped nervously just in case. He would still have to be cautious in the event that none of it was real, but he would just make sure that he didn't blurt anything important out. "Wy?"

"Yeah. It's me, kid."

Christopher smiled with relief as Wyatt pulled him up and wrapped his arms around him. Even Chris seemed happy to see him as he joined the hug. With all of the family that was in the room joining in as well, he felt contented. This had to be real. Maybe he couldn't pass out, but he could sure sleep. So that's what he did. And it felt good.

Things were definitely looking up for the Halliwell family.

However in his haste to worry about his little brother, no one noticed that Wyatt forgot to say the protection spell once again.

Tbc…

AN: I know, cliffie? Yeah, I'm going to take your advice and drop those classes:) So what do you think? What doesn't Christopher want to do? I think we'll just have to ask him next chapter. Or maybe we'll ask Julius.


	35. He did it for me35

He did it for me

Chapter 35

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Christopher just turned 19, Chris was already 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

**AN: I know, I know—I've been promising and promising to tell you why Julius wants them. Well, I don't have to promise anymore—cause here it is…Mostly—the rest will be revealed soon. I have to keep some suspense to myself, don't I:) Actually, I'm just a little scared to let it all out cause I don't want you guys to be disappointed. So if you are, _can we just keep that a secret, ok, Please?_**

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He didn't sleep long because the dreams were relentless. The dreams of what was to come. They pushed their way to the surface and forced Christopher awake, startling his brother when he bolted upright.

Wyatt leaned in, furrowing his brow with concern. "What's wrong?" Seeing the young man's eyes glazed over and unfocussed, his worry grew tenfold as he placed his hand gently on his shoulder. "Christopher? Can you hear me?"

Breathing heavily, Christopher took a deep breath and tried to calm himself before speaking. After several long moments of silence, he turned to his older brother with a haunted look in his eyes. Finally, he answered. "I want to believe it, Wy," he ran his hands across the plush comforter, "I mean it—_feels _real. But my mind played so many tricks on me. What if this is just another one. Or what if I'm really back in there again and—"

"Yes! Of course, it's real Chris. I mean, _Christopher_. I wouldn't lie to you!" Wyatt argued in frustration.

Chris crossed his arms as he paced back and forth, "What is it going to take to convince you? Come on man, I've watched you two. You're the one with all the ideas. Think of something. You're the brains, he's the braun."

Wyatt smacked his arm playfully, "Hey!"

Chris raised an eyebrow, "Well I wouldn't say that if I hadn't watched you purposely blow that SAT test a few years back."

Feeling a little more at ease, Christopher grinned and asked Chris, "You caught that, huh? I thought I was the only one who noticed."

Penny walked up quietly and smacked Wyatt on the back of the head, "You did that on purpose? And what were those fake tears for when you came home upset because you did so bad? Do you know how upset your mother was that those scores would keep you out of a good school?"

Wyatt rubbed his now sore head, "That was kind of the point, Grams. And can we talk about something else besides my issues with college?"

Penny threw her hands on her hips, squinting her eyes at the blonde. "We'll talk about this later," she hissed before softening her voice to his brother, "Christopher, darling—I don't know how else we can convince you that you're home, well not _home _actually, but that you're safe, with family."

Christopher got out of bed, striding up to his counterpart, "I think I know how. Would you all excuse us for a while?" he locked eyes with the familiar green orbs, "We need to talk." He listened as all of the Halliwell women filed out of the room. Sensing his brother still in the room, Christopher merely voiced his name to suggest that he leave. "_Wyatt_"

The older man pointed to himself, "You didn't mean me, did you?"

At the same time, both Chris and Christopher turned around and gave Wyatt their identical, patented glare. He backed out of the room mumbling something about 'spooky' as he closed the door.

As soon as they were alone, Chris shrugged and asked, "How can I confirm anything for you? You only met me for like a total of 20 minutes? You don't even know me."

"If this is real, and you're the other Chris—then I know you. I know everything about you."

"How is that possible?"

"The seers pool," Christopher answered simply.

Chris shook his head in disbelief, "The seers pool doesn't show everything." He began to think, his mind quickly catching onto the meaning and his eyes widened, "Not unless--"

Christopher finished his sentence, "—They threw me in? Yeah. Now this is where you come in. I need you to confirm a few things that I couldn't possibly know otherwise."

"And then?"

"And then I guess I'll just have to trust that this is real. I really don't have any other choice, do I? But I at least need some peace of mind before I tell you anything."

Chris nodded, "Ok. Shoot…"

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Chris finished his story, then threw his hands up awaiting the next set of intense questions. "Well? What next? Are you satisfied yet?"

Christopher sat down heavily on the bed, "I guess so."

Chris nodded in understanding. He took in the saddened look on the other's face, recognizing the cause immediately. "I guess if you've seen everything, then you know I understand right now. I mean, whatever happened up there and all. Are you ok?"

Christopher answered the question with a statement, "Drowning is not fun."

Recalling the incident at the lake, Chris sighed. "Don't I know it."

"Oh, that's right. You were 7, weren't you? Luckily Wyatt was there. He's a good guy, Wyatt. Promise me that you won't mention any of our conversation to him. He'd go nuts."

Chris watched his other self staring down at the comforter, slowly tracing the patterns on it with his fingers absently. "You're stalling."

"I know," Christopher admitted in a soft spoken voice. "I really don't want to talk about it right now. Maybe not ever. Besides, there's more important things going on."

"They'll find a way to bring you back. So all you need to do is get some rest right now. If you want to talk about what happened, without someone freaking outabout it, then I'm—you know. Here."

Christopher smiled at the shy and unassuming way the other offered. He knew that when they clashed at their first meeting, it was probably because he hadn't given him a chance right from the beginning. That and the fact they were simply too much alike to get along indefinitely. They had both been on the defensive at the time. But now that he had seen his life, he felt like he knew him. "Thanks. But it's not about being alive anymore. Chris, you know what the seer's pool can do, right?"

"Yeah. It can show you the future, or the past, depending on what it is you really want to see if you look into it. Bianca and I tried to get our hands on one before I left for the past. To see what turned Wyatt, but it fell through."

"Well that's not all it will show you. Especially if you're submerged in it." The haunted look in Christopher's eyes returned once more. He took a deep breath, "It can show you what has happened. What could happen. What will happen. And I saw it. Everything. I don't even think Julius had planned on me finding out. Arel and Raina just threw me in to find you, but I didn't tell them anything, I swear."

Chris cocked his head to the side inquisitively, "Thanks. I know Raina is an Elder, I've met her. But who's Arel?"

Christopher shuddered unconsciously thinking of the brute demon, "Someone Mom and the Aunts apparently pissed off. He's the demon that she sent to…question me. Look, forget about that. The point is, now I know what Julius wanted from us. Why he wanted us dead."

The word 'us' stuck in his mind, and Chris corrected him. "You mean, _you_. Julius didn't have anything to do with my death." He stared at the wall and spoke his name with disgust, "It was _Gideon_. And it wasn't planned. I simply got _in the way _of him getting to Wyatt."

"Maybe not planned by Gideon. But your death wasn't just you getting in the way. And that's not how it was supposed to go. You were never supposed to die, Chris. We were never meant to be two separate souls. _We are the same person_. You were meant to have my life. You were supposed to have come back to the future and merge with me. But Gideon screwed that up, and Julius planned for him to do it."

"Julius? How could he know any of that?"

"Because of the first timeline."

Chris asked sarcastically, "_Then how come I didn't know about any of this?"_

Christopher answered in the same tone, _"Because you didn't live the first timeline. _Not really."

Chris jumped up angrily and pointing to the other, "Now you're not making any sense. They must have fried your brain."

Getting just as angry, Christopher rose to his feet and stood facing him. "You and I separating? Wake up Chris--It was an ac-ci-dent. But it was…STILL…PLANNED! Julius knew that if he stopped you from making it back to the future alive, then he would pretty much eliminate the fourth timeline—and finally get exactly what he's wanted all along since the original timeline."

"I AM FROM THE FIRST TIMELINE, DOLT!"

"BULLSHIT! You're from the SECOND! I saw it! In the first timeline, everything was nearly perfect! Wyatt was not evil. No one was! That only happened in yours because Julius interfered with it."

"Look genius, you must have been imagining those far out ideas. Now, I understand that you're under a lot of stress right now, and that your mind is probably making up all kinds of crazy. But we need to get serious and figure out what's really going on here."

Annoyed, Christopher crossed his arms and stared back petulantly. "Look, we're the same person. Every time you call me stupid, that's saying a whole lot about yourself."

Chris remarked flippantly, "I didn't call you stupid."

"_No_. You just called me a 'genius' _sarcastically_. _That's a whole lot different. _I was the one in the seers pool, ok? And since I went through all of that trouble—drowning and such—to keep YOU hidden, the least you could do is shut up and listen. I was the one who actually saw what happened. You want proof? I saw your timeline didn't I? Should I go into detail about what happened between you and Bianca the night you left to come back to the past?"

Blushing furiously, Chris sat down and prepared to listen. "Fine. Explain this first timeline. What happened?"

"It started with the seer. She met Aunt Phoebe's daughter Melinda. They became friends, and soon, she wanted to become human because she fell in love with some guy and wanted to marry. The Charmed Ones grew to like her and decided to help her become human. The guy was Wyatt. He was 20 at the time, the same age he is now. Before they were going to get married, she wanted to get rid of anything in her old cave that could fall into the wrong hands. She had a lot of enemies." He hesitated, closing his eyes sadly before continuing. "They were surprised by a group of demons. Too many, even for the Twice Blessed Witch—they didn't make it out."

As the other boy spoke, things started to make sense to Chris and he reached over and patted his back, "You ok?"

Christopher lips curled up slightly as he attempted to push the memory to the back of his mind. "Yeah. It's just kind of hard seeing Wyatt die like that. Even though he wasn't really my Wyatt, you know?"

Sighing sadly, Chris nodded, then laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I get it. And I take it, _that Chris _went back to the past to save him too?"

"You got it. It seems you were right when you agreed with Aunt Phoebe. We do tend to make it our life's goal to save Wyatt. I guess it is our destiny."

Chris rolled his eyes with discontent, "That can't be all there is."

Christopher shared the look before shuddering with another thought. "No, there's more to it. Nothing so nice and glamorous or anything."

"What does Julius have to do with this?"

"Since the seer was now human, he came for her soul. But he got a little distracted by the seer's pool. I guess out of curiosity, he dipped his head in, and saw most of what I saw. So he set the chain of events in motion, since it was exactly what he had been looking for. He convinced _that Chris _to go back in time as the only way to save Wyatt—told him exactly what he needed to do. Only it was a lie. The only thing he succeeded in doing was making Gideon afraid of Wyatt, but Chris didn't know that. He thought that when he returned to the future, everything would be like it was and Wyatt would be alive. But he didn't know that his timeline would have changed and he would have merged with the second Chris, and forgotten all about his original future or the fact that he even went to the past. Yours is the second timeline Chris. Your Wyatt then grew up traumatized because after the first Chris left, Gideon kidnapped him and tried to kill him after hearing how powerful he would become."

Christopher watched as his counterpart gaped his mouth open in shock. "Yeah, and that's how I know that you and I would have merged to be the same person, and your memories of that old timeline where Wyatt had turned would have vanished—just like they did when the first Chris merged into you."

"Then why did he stop that from happening? Why did he set Gideon up to kill me? Or you even?"

Chris snapped his head around and answered bitterly, "Everyone's a pawn in his little game. He convinced both the Elder and Demon Councils that he would destroy the world if they didn't hand me over to him when I turned 19. They've been planning this ever since you died. I never stood a chance. If the Korack brothers didn't get me, there were hundreds of others line up waiting to finish the job. And not one of them had a clue why they were even doing it. They just fell for everything he said."

"Why is 19 so important to him?"

Christopher's eyes widened in panic as he was once again forced to think about the simple answer, "Because that's how it all began. That's how old the first Chris was when he went back to the past. And that's how it has to end."

"How what has to end?" Chris asked anxiously.

"Everything…" he whispered.

Tbc…

AN: Ok, so what do you think? Does Christopher's last line give you any clues as to what's going to happen?


	36. He did it for me36

He did it for me

Chapter 36

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Christopher just turned 19, Chris was already 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

**AN: I'm still not telling why, but this chapter will at least tell you how. I've also explained chapter 35 in more detail here since I know how confusing I can be sometimes. But if you thought my imagination was 'out there' before, wait until you're done with this chapter:)**

**So thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, even if it was to tell me that I confused the hell out of you (don't worry, I do it to my family all the time—including myself). And if any of you are still confused when you're done, drop me an email—or a review:) and let me know. I'll be sure to explain it personally cause I know I'm pretty strange, and my mind works in mysterious ways—in fact, I think I hear the theme song from x-files playing in the background…**

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Chris suddenly held up his hand for Christopher to stop talking. Putting his finger to lips in a hush gesture, he followed the action by tip-toeing over to the door and yanking it open quickly.

With his ear pressed against the door, Wyatt grunted as he fell face first into the room and looked up at his brothers sheepishly. "Uh…hi? Yeah, see I was just polishing the door knob for Aunt Sheila…"

Chris rolled his eyes and slammed the door shut again once Wyatt had pulled himself up and into the bedroom. "_Really_? 'Cause it looked more like you were snooping to me. How much did you hear?"

Sighing at being caught, Wyatt's feigned look of innocence quickly turned to one of concern as he remembered that Christopher told at least some of what had happened to him. He rushed over to the brother he had grown up with. "Everything," he answered before he touched his shoulder gently, "Are you ok?"

Christopher shrugged him off with an irritated glare that suggested that he was anything but, "I'm _fine_. And before you ask—NO! I do NOT want to talk about it. But since you know what's going on, then there are other things we need to discuss right now."

Wyatt shook his head in confusion as he looked at both versions of his younger brother. "No, actually I don't know what's going on. I heard you, but I didn't understand what you were talking about."

Christopher grumbled in irritation as he pointed to the Chris that had been killed by Gideon. "_He _is not the first one to come back to the past. There was _another_ Chris. Just so we don't get confused here, let's call that first one, oh, I don't know—'_Bob'_."

Chris snickered as he mouthed the word 'Bob', which earned him an icy stare from his counterpart.

Christopher again faced his older brother and tried to explain it to him, "You with me so far?" At Wyatt's nod, he continued. "Good. _Bob's _brother—was also named Wyatt. Well _Wyatt _fell in love with the seer and got himself killed, along with his seer fiancé who had become human to marry him. That's where Julius comes in. He looked into her seers pool and saw all of our timelines. _Bob _was so distraught over the loss of his brother, that Julius was able to convince him that he had to go back to the past and get Gideon to help them later on down the line so that _Wyatt _wouldn't get killed. What _Bob _didn't know, was that Gideon was always a paranoid freak, and he inadvertently let it slip how powerful _Wyatt _was going to be. Now, as low down and slimy as Gideon was, he lied and told _Bob _to go back to the future. He said not to worry, everything would be fine, and that he would take care of things to make sure _Wyatt _didn't die and would be ok. What Gideon really meant was that _Wyatt _should have never been allowed to exist. He decided that he was going to remedy that—he tried to kill him as a baby as soon as _Bob _left."

Christopher was walking around the room and stopping to point at Wyatt ever so often to make sure he followed his line of thinking. "Ok—you're both still with me here, right?"

Chris smirked in response, "I was already with you buddy. Wyatt?"

The blue-eyed witch nodded hesitantly as his mind processed the complex information, but he still followed up until that point.

Christopher pointed again to Chris with one hand and continued to explain to Wyatt, "And that's where Chris who died trying to save you comes in. _Bob_ went back to the future thinking everything was going to be ok. When he got there, he merged with Chris over here. Problem was, Wyatt was now evil because Gideon had traumatized him trying to kill him as a baby. So you see, _Bob_ accidentally created that domino effect forcing Chris to go back and stop Wyatt from turning evil."

Christopher turned to his older brother, "and once he had saved you, Chris was supposed to come back to the future and merge with me. But instead, Julius had other plans. Since he still remembered, he told Gideon to curse the blade and to stop anyone who got in his way with it—knowing that it would be Chris since he's the one who came all this way to save his brother. Cursing that blade would ensure that Chris would not be able to be healed, and die. Then Julius only had to wait until I turned the same age, and send someone to kill me too."

Wyatt nodded excitedly as he finally began to comprehend, "Ok, I think I'm getting this. So if all of that's correct, there shouldn't be two of you standing here now—you should both be the same person, right? And Gideon killing him messed that up, right?"

Christopher nodded emphatically, "YES! That's it!"

Chris scratched his chin and stood up with a look of confusion, "Ok. So I get that Julius tricked _Bob _and set all of these alternate timelines in motion. So why does he remember, and none of us do?"

"I'm not positive, but I think it's because he's the one who started it," Christopher answered simply with a shrug.

With a mildly teasing and challenging tone, Chris added "I thought you _saw everything_."

He merely glanced at him in annoyance before answering sarcastically, "That's right. S-A-W everything. That doesn't mean I knew what people were thinking. If I did, I would have tried to figure out what the hell you were thinking when you cut your hair and spiked it like a rooster when you first got back to the past. Dude! What was _that _about?"

Chris folded his arms defensively as both young men snickered, "I thought it was the style. Look, Bianca told me I had to blend in, so that's what I did."

Smirking at his counterpart, Christopher retorted "You mean _tried to blend in_. I see you got rid of that awful look pretty quickly."

"Can we focus here, please!" Chris grumbled.

Christopher continued grinning at the other's flustered expression. "Fine by me."

Wyatt's curiosity was nagging at him, and he decided to ask. "Who's Bianca?"

They both swung their heads around and answered at the same time, "Never mind."

Wyatt shivered jokingly, "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. That's just downright spooky."

Chris ignored the comment, instead focusing on the matter at hand. "So why do you think Julius wouldn't want me to get back here alive? And then why would he want to turn around and kill you?"

"I don't know why. Like I said before, the seer's pool only allows you to see a person's actions, it _does not _take you into their minds. It's like watching a movie. If you want to know why he did all this, you'll have to ask _him _that. All I can tell you is what he did; what he intends to do."

"And what is that?"

Christopher began to pace the floor agitatedly and mumbled, "Merge us together."

Wyatt shook his head, not understanding why his brother seemed so upset about the prospect. "But that's a good thing, right? That's what was supposed to happen."

He flailed his arms wildly, "_Not while dead, it wasn't_. Chris and I are not completely dead. We're kind of like in limbo, only without our bodies. It wasn't by just sheer luck that Grams was able to intercept us and keep us from moving on."

Addressing the other, he looked slightly grateful. "Chris, Julius knew where you were for the past 19 years. He just lost track of you when you switched with me and came down here. If you hadn't done that, they would have had us both."

Wyatt was not convinced and said as much. "Sorry, bro—this still isn't looking like a bad thing. I don't understand. Why would merging you two together be so wrong?"

"_BECAUSE WE CAN STILL FEEL PAIN!" _he exclaimed loudly and began to hyperventilate. The panic in his voice and water welling up in his eyes caused the Twice-Blessed-Witch to draw him into his arms, trying desperately to sooth him.

Christopher said he wasn't going to talk about it; at least not with his overprotective big brother. But there was so much at stake, and he had to get him to understand. Not only that, but he suddenly found that all of the anger, frustration, and feelings of betrayal were building up inside him and threatening to erupt. He wanted to yell; scream; anything to let it out. But it came out in more of a whisper, and once it started, he just couldn't stop the words from pouring from his mouth. "Wyatt, they drowned me! They suffocated me. Arel seemed to make it his personal job to make me experience pain. Like that was his _goal _in life. And it hurt like hell! But that'll be like a walk in the park if Julius gets to merge us together now!"

Wyatt closed his eyes and fought hard to control the repressed rage overcoming him. He imagined a multitude of different ways to mutilate and destroy those responsible for hurting his little brother. They would pay dearly when he got his hands on them.

While Wyatt held on for dear life to the brother he had grown up with, one look across the room showed the same hard-edged anger reflected in the other set of bright green eyes. He glanced down at the dark head of hair on leaning his shoulder and noticed that the teen seemed to have calmed a bit. He spoke quietly, "I'm not gonna' let them hurt you Christopher. Either one of you. No one's going to get to either of my brother's without going through me first. I would die before I let that happen, I promise."

Christopher, now much calmer sat up but carried a look of defeat. "You can't stop him, Wy. I saw it. It's going to happen."

Chris strode over to them confidently, "Well, we'll just have to change it. None of this makes sense. Does he just get his kicks like this or something? What is merging us together and causing us pain going to do for him?"

"It's because you have everything from your whole timeline—that whole universe in you, Chris. It would be too much for the both of us to handle. And then he gets us to do his dirty work." Christopher stared down at the floor despondently.

Wyatt shook his head, "I don't get it."

Chris snapped his fingers, finally understanding what his counterpart was getting at. "I think I do. Correct me if I'm wrong, Christopher? OK? Wyatt--Imagine taking _every single _person, place, and thing in the entire universe, balling them up and condensing them all into one person. Well, I AM that one person, because I am the only one left of my entire timeline—essentially like—the keeper of my timeline. Right? So in me, is the essence of everything and everyone that existed in my whole universe. Am I right so far?"

Christopher nodded then looked at Wyatt, "Yeah. Had he lived and went to the future, that essence would have simply faded away when he merged with me."

Chris agreed with his counterpart and finished his thought, "But Julius caused both of our deaths. Then he allowed us both to stay on that spiritual plane."

Wyatt was growing frustrated with being the only one in the room who wasn't following their train of thought. "Why?" he ground out.

Christopher explained sadly, "Because with us both being dead like this--it would be like, sensory overload for me to merge with Chris and all of his "baggage". Kind of like filling up a water balloon with way too much water until it finally explodes. We wouldn't be able to handle it. The physical pain would simply be too much. That's what Julius is counting on. Because eventually, the only way for us to end the pain, would be to end everything."

"Meaning?"

Christopher grew angry and lashed out at his older brother, "I thought _EVERYTHING _was pretty clear, Wyatt. I mean--The world. The Universe. People are killed. Places are destroyed. All things would be wiped out. _Everything--ceases--to--exist. _Is that clear enough for you? And once we start it, no one can stop it. No one can stop US! Not even the Charmed Ones, not even the Twice Blessed Witch. NO ONE!"

Shaken to the core by the declaration, Chris' face had drained of all color. Fearing his legs would give out, he sat down on the bed heavily before he fell down. Though hearing it out loud had finally convinced him, he tried to deny it as he looked up into an identical set of green eyes. His voice wavered nervously, "We don't have that kind of power."

Christopher nodded firmly even as the other shook his head vehemently, "_You do_, Chris. You have within you your entire universe at your disposal. Every bit of power that ever existed in your world, is now a part of you. Every bit of good magic, evil magic, and everything in between. And if we merge, it will be a part of me too."

The room was painfully silent in the wake of Christopher's admission. No one moved. No one commented. Breathing even seemed to have been put on hold.

After minutes went by that had seemed morelike hours, Wyatt was the first to break the strange silence. Even his voice shook as his mind flashed with images of his little brother bent on destroying the world. "So how do we stop it?"

Wyatt noted with dread that the eerie way both versions of his brother answered was not funny anymore.

Once again they intoned together in a whisper, "I don't know if we can…"

TBC….

AN: Well, what do you think?


	37. He did it for me37

He did it for me

Chapter 37

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Christopher just turned 19, Chris was already 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: WOW! Most of you seemed to understand my crazy thinking. Thanks. So we're getting close to the end here. And don't worry, everything I have done has been planned from the start, nothing is random except for the dialog and the interaction—even the end is already written. The only thing I'm doing is filling in the dialog. But I promise you, my friends, that everything has a purpose, but I don't want to spoil the surprise. So I won't confirm or deny anything mentioned in your reviews:) I'm pleading the fifth.

And now that I have some more free time, I should be able to finish soon:)

**Just keep in mind that the conversation in italics & the events that follow that takes place between the three boys—is actually the memory that Christopher had in the seers pool & it hasn't happened yet. But the part turned out so long, that I had to break it up into two. **

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Several minutes of silence permeated the air before Chris suddenly looked up. "We can see what you saw, right? Wyatt can help us."

"Why would you want to see any of that? _I don't even _want to see it again. The things we did. Chris, it was horrible." The pleading look in his eyes made Christopher relent. "Ok. What do you want to see?"

"The part just before and after the merge. What were we doing when it happened?"

Christopher stood up and held his hands out for both young men, "See for yourself…" he said as Wyatt initiated the connection to see the future memory…

_The three boys see themselves in the vision, much the same as they are standing right now…_

_Christopher was glad to be in the company of his brother, and finally getting to know the person who was essentially responsible for his existence. Through Wyatt's empathic vision connection, they were able to see much of Chris's life. _

"_I can't imagine all of the horrible things you've been through, Chris," Christopher shook his head sadly._

_Chris nodded and added seriously, "Just be glad you can't. Be thankful that Clarence got to you before Arel could hurt you. I mean, if all he gave you was a simple needle, then you really are lucky."_

"_In more ways than one." Christopher steeled his gaze making his expression completely unreadable. "I really have to thank you for everything you've done for us, Chris. Because of you, I've had a great life—" he replied rather smugly._

"_Oh, way to rub it in," Chris rolled his eyes sarcastically._

_Christopher replied briskly, "Yeah, and quite frankly—I'm selfish. I'm not willing to give it up yet. I'm sorry, but only one of us can go back the way things are now. There's only one physical body between the two of us."_

_Chris understood the second that Clarence and Penny had brought Christopher down when Wyatt had him pinned to the wall, that soon his whole family would know who he really was. The Halliwell's were immediately recalled to the attic and informed of the existence of two Christopher Perry Halliwells. As soon as they all realized that they were two separate beings, they had rushed to envelop them both in hugs to ensure that there was no favoritism. _

_While the family had worked to come up with a plan to restore Christopher's soul into his body, they had sent the three Halliwell boys away to Sheila's cabin to get to know each other. _

_Since then, Chris had known what had to happen and thought he had been prepared for it. But hearing it spoken aloud only seemed to intensify his depressive feelings. His time was up. _

_He gazed at the floor intently, unable to stare into his own green eyes that would soon belong in a body once again, while he was whisked away into an afterlife he wasn't ready for. He tried to mask the pain in his voice as he mumbled a response, "I know."_

_Christopher's smile widened enormously at the saddened reaction he received as he prepared to shock his duplicate, "That's why I came up with a plan to merge us together."_

_As Chris's eyes widened in shock, his mouth nearly hitting the floor, Christopher reached under his chin and closed it jokingly. _

_Wyatt chuckled softly behind them as he recalled Chris doing the exact same thing to him the day before. He had stared in disbelief at the identical boys for several long minutes, unable to comprehend that there were in fact two versions of his brother standing in front of him. "Huh. Seems like you two have a lot in common."_

_Ignoring his older brother, Chris practically shouted at his identical version before him, "Why would you want to do that! You're already going home—do you know what that would do to you? Have you even _BEGUN TO THINK THIS THROUGH_?"_

_Christopher laughed and turned to the blonde while pointing to the other, "I'm not this much of a nag, am I?"_

_Wyatt nodded emphatically, "Uh—yeah, you kind of are. I told you, the two of you have a lot in common."_

_Christopher continued, "You've been through--SO many terrible things in your life. Like I said, I can't imagine what it must have been like for you. And it's not fair. If it hadn't been for Wyatt and this empathic vision connection thing he's got, I would never have been able to see how much you'd been through with the family. I actually understand you better now—and the kind of sacrifice that you made for us. I'm willing to do the same for you."_

_Chris paused reluctantly, "But—you'll have—ALL—of my memories. There aren't many good ones. Trust me, it's nothing you would enjoy."_

_Christopher shook his head slowly before placing his hand on the other's shoulder, "I'm ok with that, Chris. But you'll have all of my memories too. And since all of mine are good, between the two of us—it should be enough to keep us balanced. Look Chris, I really believe that this is how it was always supposed to be before you and I died. Before Gideon screwed things up. We are meant to be one soul. Besides, I can't live with myself knowing that you would be moving on not having experienced any of the happier times your life could have had. Please? Let me do this. You did it for me. I want to return the favor." He looked to his brother for assistance, "Tell him, Wy."_

_Wyatt was thrilled at the proposition and readily agreed. He wanted the time to get to know the brother that saved his life. "I think he's right, Chris. I, for one, don't want to loose either of my brothers. Besides, it'll make it a whole lot easier without having to remember what to call you guys. To be honest, I really don't like the full name 'Christopher'. I like either 'Chris', or 'Kid', 'Bookworm', 'Nerd', 'Geek'. Really, any of those will work for me," he added helpfully. _

_Two sets of green eyes were rolled at him, but only Chris spoke. "Thanks, Wy. Now seriously, Christopher—are you sure about this?"_

"_More than sure. Ok? Let's get started," Christopher retorted as he rubbed his hands together eagerly._

_Wyatt asked, "So what's your plan kid?"_

_His answer died on his lips as he doubled over in pain and collapsed to the floor. He grunted out, "What's happening to me?"_

_Wyatt looked down at his brother's neck, his eyes widening with the startling realization that there was glowing a neon green circle on the back of it. And it was spreading. "What the hell is this?"_

_As he reached down to try and remove it, he touched it and found that the substance was deep under Christopher's skin. "He asked his brother worriedly, "Christopher, the needle—where did they inject you at?"_

"…_the back of my neck…"_

_Chris felt the panic welling in his chest watching the other start to disappear with none of them having any idea how to stop it. "What's happening, Wyatt? He's already dead. Why is he fading?"_

"_I DON'T KNOW!" Wyatt cried out in frustration. He tried to hold on to his little brother, but it seemed like the tighter he gripped him, the more he faded. His own panic was growing to the point where he was tempted to call for Excalibur and simply cut it out, but he quickly discarded that idea. Seconds later, he found himself crashing into the floor, filling up the space that had just been occupied by his brother. _

_When he looked up again, he spoke unnecessarily. "He's gone…I have to find him."_

_Chris answered determinedly, "I'm coming with you." _

_Wyatt shook his head firmly, "No, Chris. They did something to him with whatever that crap was they injected him with. They didn't get to you. So you'll be safe here. Just stay here until I get back. I'm not risking you too."_

"_But—"_

_Wyatt grabbed his shoulders and shook him, "NO! Damn it! No. Please? Chris?" _

_The look of desperation as the Twice-Blessed-Witch begged him, was impossible to deny. He tilted his head slightly in a reluctant acceptance. "Where are you going?"_

"_I'm going home. They can all help me to find him. Please stay here, Chris. I—"_

"_I know. I promise ok? Go. Get him back," he demanded quietly as the blonde orbed out. _

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_Prepared to enlist his family's help in finding their youngest Halliwell, he noted that he didn't have to look very far. _

_As soon as Wyatt arrived in the attic, his attention was immediately drawn to his little brother curled up in a fetal position in the corner, behind what looked to be force field. Beside him stood the Angel of Death, his chest poked out pompously. _

_Determined to wipe the smirk off of his face, he summoned Excalibur and rushed at the field, confident that the sword could break through it. What he hadn't counted on was bouncing off of the shield like a rubber ball and landing at his mothers feet. _

_With a wide grin, Julius extended his hand in a deceptively friendly gesture. "Welcome Wyatt. So good of you to join us. Christopher has already joined us, courtesy of Arel and Raina's little summoning potion. Now as I was about to tell the infamous Charmed Ones—and Elder—over here—there are a few fascinating little facts that I bet none of you are aware of." _

"_Let him go," Wyatt growled forming an energy ball in his palm. _

_Julius ignored the young man and proceeded to walk around the self imposed force field as he explained. "For instance, did you know that there comes a point for the human body where it shuts down and goes numb? It's called 'shock'. It is a natural defense mechanism to try to prevent the vital organs from going into sensory overload."_

_Paige raised her hand as if in a classroom, "Excuse me, but are we going to be tested on any of this? Cause I don't have my notebook."_

_Julius pointedly ignored her mocking and continued. "And did you know that no such defense mechanism exists for the dead who are stuck between this life and the next?"_

_Piper snarled, "What's your point?"_

_He answered condescendingly, "My point, dear woman, is that young Christopher currently resides in the second category. You see, he still feels pain. Watch…" he taunted as he pulled on Christopher's hair to force him to look at his family and touched the back of his neck._

_Christopher found it hard to focus on his family's features after the potions effects that activated and drew him to the attic. He could hear their familiar voices, but even those seemed to be a bit foggy. _

_What wasn't foggy though, was the heat that began to radiate from the back of his neck when the Angel touched him. It wasn't long before the heat eventually shifted to a searing pain that spread through every limb in his body. He gasped for a moment at the sudden intense pain and flailed his arms and legs wildly. Unable to hold it in any longer, he let out a deafening high-pitched sound, tormenting nearly everyone in the small room with heartbreak. _

_Piper almost lost it hearing her baby scream in the most pain that he had apparently ever experienced. She screamed right along with him as she tried desperately to blow up the force field holding him. She barely even noticed all of her family attacking right along side her..._

Tbc…


	38. He did it for me38

**HUGE APPOLOGIES TO Nathy1000000 on my other story chapter 1—**I'm posting here because it doesn't show fast enough on the update--I swear hun, I wouldn't have left you out on purpose, but it didn't show up on my screen. Sometimes it skips over reviews & I had to go back & check my email to actually see what you had written. down on knees begging my humblest appologies...I'm glad you like the way I write the evil with some feelings. It's so much fun that way:)

He did it for me

Chapter 38

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Christopher just turned 19, Chris was already 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: **Just keep in mind that the conversation in italics & the events that follow that takes place between the three boys—is actually the memory that Christopher had in the seers pool & it hasn't happened yet. This is part two.**

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_An exhausting hour later, the Halliwell family was gathered around the attic, facing off with the Angel of Death._

_Piper stood closest to him. Her anger, frustration, and tears causing her to rely on her old habit of using her hands to physically blow something up. _

_Poised to her right, her husband growled with his hands raised and deadly electricity crackling at this fingertips. _

_To Leo's right, stood the Twice-Blessed Witch, Excalibur resting at his feet having already found that the sword did not work in this situation. Instead, he formed a massive energy ball in his right hand and prepared to throw another._

_To Piper's left, stood both of her sisters. Paige trying unsuccessfully to summon the offending object; while Phoebe rubbed her fingers together and added her own brand of electricity to Leo's stream._

_All were hoping that their combined powers would be enough._

_Piper's heart felt as if it were breaking at the sight of the seemingly impenetrable shield her youngest son was encased in. Julius stood within its walls, his sympathetic tone contrasting with the mocking smirk he gave them as he bent down beside Christopher's prone form. "You know, Piper. I don't want to hurt Christopher anymore. But you leave me no choice. I've already told you what I want. It's not that much to ask for. And then you can have him back. I promise."_

"_Give him back now, and maybe I won't send you to hell," she spat back angrily. _

_Julius shrugged simply, eager to prove his point again. With a grin, he lifted a finger and touched Christopher's shoulder. _

_He tried to brace himself for what he knew was coming. And it was only a few seconds before the searing pain reached him again. Christopher panted heavily for a moment as every muscle on his body began to convulse. His eyes barely focused on them any longer through the blinding hot pain, but for his family's sake, he tried to hold in the screams again that threatened to erupt. His resolve couldn't last, and soon his agonizing screams were only drowned out by the sounds of his family shouting his name and repeatedly trying to break through the shield to get to him. _

_Julius removed his hand even as the boy continued to writhe on the floor in agony, his screams dying down to a whimper. "If he were my child, I wouldn't let this continue. Unfortunately for him, he's not, and I can do this all day. I've got plenty of time. And it seems that he does too. But really Piper, as a mother. How long can you stand there and listen to your child's pitiful cry's for help. It's heart wrenching, really. I can not fathom how something so simple would be worth more than putting an end to your child's pain…" _

_In tears, Piper again furiously tried to break through the field, her husband and the rest of her family following suit and firing at it with everything in the Charmed arsenal. _

_Julius admonished her, "Piper. When will you learn? You can not break through the field. You can not stop me. My powers far surpass your Charmed, your Twice-Blessed, and your Elder powers combined. You have no effect on me. But unfortunately for him, the reverse is not true…" He bent down and prepared to strike again._

_Piper and Leo shouted at the same time, "STOP!" she moved forward, "Please? I'll give you what you want. Just stop hurting him. Please.."_

_Julius smiled arrogantly as he stood up. Crossing his arms in a gesture of impatience, he tapped his foot noisily to irritate her further. "Send it directly to me and I will release him."_

_Wyatt turned to his mother nervously, having missed the early demand. "What does he want?"_

_Leo hissed, "He wants the Book."_

_Eyes widening, Wyatt tried to warn them, "NO! Mom! He'll get C—"_

_Before he could finish his sentence, Julius caught on to his warning and snapped his fingers, freezing Wyatt instantly in mid-sentence. "He's so whiny. I'm sick of hearing from him. As I was saying. Give me the Book of Shadows. Wherever it is now, send it directly to me in this shield, and I will release Christopher." He extended his hand toward the podium next to him that stood without its book. _

_After checking on Wyatt to ensure that he was merely frozen, Piper nodded to her sisters before they all recited the familiar chant, "I call upon the ancient power, to help us in this darkest hour, let the book return to this place, claim refuge in its rightful space."_

_Piper let out a gasp as the Book of Shadows returned to the podium. Only it wasn't alone. Chris still had his hands attached to the family legacy and glanced up in surprise. Surveying the room quickly, he noted the precarious situation he now found himself in. And with his counterpart currently on the floor still trying to recover from the residual torment, it didn't look good for him either. He grabbed the Book and began backpedaling toward the wall. Away from the Angel. _

_Laughing, Julius advanced on Chris menacingly. _

_Phoebe shouted, "The Book, Chris! Give him the book!"_

_Chris glanced at his Aunt fearfully and saw the encouragement from everyone else as well. He dropped it on the floor and kicked it over to Julius to stop his advancement. _

"_You have what you wanted, now let them go," Leo demanded._

_Julius's eyes locked with Chris's as he backed him into a wall, grabbing his collar tightly. "Yes. I do. But I don't need, nor do I want that stupid Book. But it was successful in bringing me what I really need." He snapped his fingers again and unfroze Wyatt. "Isn't that right, Wyatt. Oh, by the way—that is what he was trying to tell you. But now I have them both," he declared as pulled him forward and shoved him down on the floor next to Christopher. _

_Julius shivered gleefully at the alarm in everyone's eyes as he held out both of his hands. One directed toward Chris, the other toward Christopher who was now starting to sit up and began backing away. "Now this should be fun." Looking directly at Christopher, Julius enjoyed the wild panic in the boy's eyes just before he snapped his fingers, shattering the boy's soul into a cloud of tiny particles. _

_The Angel only laughed harder at the Halliwell's frantic cries and attempts to break down the shield again. With his index finger up, he happily gestured for them to pause, "Wait! Still one more to go. Oh, how I wish I had a camera to replay the expression of horror on your face over and over again, Piper." _

_Drawing closer to Chris, he paused for a moment to bask in the terror emanating from the sage-green orbs. "Do you have any last words?"_

_After what he just saw, Chris could only assume his counterpart had in essence just been vanquished. And if truth be told, he was downright terrified of being completely destroyed, with not even an afterlife to go to. But the look in Julius's eyes confirmed that he would soon follow Christopher. He let out a small sob, and with only seconds to contemplate his fate, he squeezed his eyes shut tightly and crossed his arms over his face in an attempt to shield himself from the Angel of Death. Though his efforts proved fruitless as his soul too was scattered. _

_Though not his ultimate purpose, Julius relished in the howling cries of the boys' mother. He positively loved seeing her sink to her knees in despair, fearing the ultimate demise of her youngest offspring. He had always hated that infuriating woman, and this was just the bit of glorified payback that he needed to make his ultimate goal just that much sweeter._

_He leaned on the podium watching her curiously. "You know, the second that I leave here and lower this shield, both of these young men's souls will be scattered aimlessly about, and be lost forever." He almost couldn't control the laughter at the heartbroken looks on all of their faces, their sobs music to his ears. He paused again, trying to draw out the moment as long as possible. _

"_Fortunately for you, I'm in a generous mood today. Let's see if we can't put 'humpty dumpty' back together again, shall we?" Lifting his finger in the air, he twirled it around in circles until the air around him began to spin. _

_Soon, the particles began to coalesce and emit a small humming sound. Before they even realized what was happening, a brilliant yellow light blinded everyone but Julius, who had knowingly closed his eyes. When the light died down, they all gasped in surprise as it had encompassed the newly merged and re-formed Chris/Christopher. _

_Shocked by his brother's sudden 'au natural' appearance, Wyatt blushed furiously and immediately conjured the boy some clothes. _

_Julius laughed as Chris/Christopher laid on the floor shivering violently. "Now that you can't stop me, I see no point in hiding the truth from your soon to be short lives. You know, I've been privy to witnessing the massive destruction that the previous timeline's Twice-Blessed-Witch wrought on the world. He leveled buildings; cities; states; countries even. The damage he alone created was hailed in the history books as the worst evil ever inflicted on this planet. Quite impressive, really. But none of that even compares to the level of extinction your second born will bring upon the world. No, no. His will be akin to the end."_

_Leo spoke quietly, "You're talking about Armageddon?"_

_The Angel of Death replied rather arrogantly, "Actually, I believe your Webster's dictionary defines Armageddon as a 'usually vast decisive conflict or confrontation'. In that case, Armageddon implies that there will be something left at the end. However, the destruction your youngest will bring upon this world will be a total and COMPLETE annihilation." _

_Leo refused to believe it, "He wouldn't do that. My son is not evil." _

"_No, but all of the sorrow, pain, and power that ever existed in Chris's world is now apart of your second born. He can't help it. They are an unstable mix now. One that you can not undo. That was the point of the merge with them being dead. Alive, Christopher's soul would have simply been strong enough to overpower Chris's and allow it to fade naturally. Like this, his soul will never rest. It will soon overwhelm him into doing the unthinkable. He will destroy you. And everything else in this pathetic little world." _

_Julius bowed slightly as he turned to exit, "Well, I really must be going. I have to get ready," smiling over at Chris/Christopher, he added, "especially since I am going to be extremely busy very soon." He threw his hand out and his list materialized in it. Julius looked it over with a grin, "Ooh. It looks like I'll be seeing all of you shortly. Until then…" _

_As soon as the shield went down with Julius' hasty departure, everyone rushed to Chris/Christopher's side, but Wyatt was the first to reach him. He gathered his brother into his arms trying to soothe him somehow. "We're all here, Chris. You're going to be ok, kid." _

"_It's hurts, Wy. Make it stop, please…make it stop. Mom?"_

_Piper wept openly as she took his hand, "I'm here baby. We'll find a way to reverse this."_

"_It's too much. I can't do this…" the young man said as he twisted in his brother's arms. _

"_I know kid, but you'll be fine. It's all over now." Wyatt tried hard to believe his own statement, but the crystal blue eyes showed nothing but worry as he glanced up at his family. "What should we call him?" he asked absently._

_Paige tried to be the one that held it together, knowing just how difficult the situation was for the teen's parents and brother. "Well, they truly are one person now, so I guess we can go back to just 'Chris'. Right Leo?" she added as she rubbed his back gently, trying to comfort him._

_The Elder nodded gratefully, "Yeah. We'll find a way to fix this. I know we will. You guys have never failed in anything yet."_

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_Wyatt watched over his younger brother while his mother, father, and aunts worked frantically over in the corner to try and resolve the problem. With Chris's wild thrashing gradually worsening as the pain increased, they all knew that they were running out of time. He slowly became more panicked and agitated as the hours went by. And as a result, also less coherent. He seemed to have lost the ability to recognize any of them, and most importantly—himself. _

_Less than 12 hours after the merge, Chris grabbed his ears and let out one final ear-piercing scream, drawing everyone's attention. _

_Wyatt quickly grabbed his hands and tried to calm him. When he looked into his eyes, he saw something extremely unsettling. Chris' eyes had changed from their normal lighter shade of sage-green, to a deep emerald, before flitting from one end of the spectrum to the other. It seemed as if every color that had ever existed in the universe had passed through them. _

_Shaking out of Wyatt's stunned grasp, Chris moved as if in a trance, hearing nothing as he headed toward the center of the room. From his head to his feet, what began for him as orbing, mixing below his neck to a shimmer, before finally flaming out of the room. _

_Phoebe looked on in awe, "What the hell was that?"_

_Wyatt took a deep breath, fearing the worst. "It's starting. He can't control it. All of the power… Did you see his eyes? You guys stay and keep working on the spell and the potion, and I'll go after him." _

_His father called after Wyatt, deciding to trail along and hopefully contain his wayward son. "Not alone, you're not. I'm coming with you."_

_Finding him was not hard. In the heart of San Francisco, Chris stood in the circle of a large crowd of people. The spectators watched his unique method of transportation with a mix of shock, awe, hostility, and fear. _

_If he hadn't been toward the bottom of a hill, they never would have spotted him amidst the crowded confusion. Both Leo and Wyatt feared that exposing his powers like that would be difficult to reverse. They rushed forward and tried to get to him and stop him from wreaking havoc on the city. _

_But they weren't prepared when Chris raised his hands. The shockwaves radiating out from the center of the circle where he stood, soon reduced the screaming crowd of hundreds fleeing away from him to ashes as he destroyed them with a simple thought. _

_Reacting quickly to the shockwave nearing them, Leo and Wyatt had no choice but to immediately orb out of danger if they were going to save their son/brother. _

_When they reappeared nearer to Chris, they were horrified to see that the shockwave reached for miles upon miles in all directions, obliterating every person and object in its path. There was nothing left save the black ash that littered the ground and swirled in the air by the gusts of wind. _

_Wyatt gasped in horror taking in the scene. It looked worse than all of the videos he used to see in school about the aftermath of a nuclear fallout. His brother had just murdered hundreds of innocents, and seemed intent on doing it again. The tears ran down his cheeks as he glanced at his father, the pain and anguish clearly reflected in his steely blue eyes as well. _

_It was only now that Wyatt finally began to doubt that he could ever save his brother… _

_Behind them, Julius appeared, a smug grin encompassing his features while he began clapping slowly. "Well done. You must keep going, Christopher Halliwell. Else, the pain and torment will never allow you to be free." _

_Turning to leave, Chris glanced in his father and brother's direction. There was something left alive in the vicinity, and that was something he could not allow. In a now familiar gesture, he raised his hands again. _

_Leo saw that his oldest son was still in shock looking around and wasn't going to react in time. Not being close enough to touch him, the Elder waved his hand to orb him to safety, then tried to orb himself out of the way. But the shockwaves were too fast for him, reaching up into the orb lights to pull him back down. His last thoughts were that he hoped both of his sons could be saved. _

_Satisfied at seeing the new pile of black ashes, Chris orbed-shimmered-flamed out. With billions of life forms, magical creatures, and dimensions in this universe, Christopher Perry Halliwell had much work to do still. _

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Wyatt pulled away from his brothers a little shaken, immediately breaking the empathic vision connection. "I don't need to see anymore. You're right, this _is _bad."

Christopher felt incredibly guilty and tried to apologize, "I'm sorry Wy. We didn't want to. But I told you it was bad. Since you didn't see the rest, I'll just tell you. It went on and on, until everything was just—gone. I think you, mom, and the aunts were killed in the third wave. It didn't long once it started. Even when the soldiers came, none of them even got to fire a weapon."

Chris was hopping around anxiously, "No, but Christopher, listen. We've already changed some of this. I think we can change it all. In the vision, you had never been thrown in the seer's pool to try and find me—so you never got to see what was coming. Somewhere along the line, we changed that. So this proves it can be done."

"But that summoning potion is still in me. I'm sure I felt them stick something in the back of my neck. I just thought they were poking me with an athame at the time."

Wyatt looked up suddenly with a confident grin. "I know just how to get rid of it too. PAIGE! AUNT PAIGE! We need you now! Hurry!"

With no answering orbs, they boys began to panic. They all jumped when the phone rang several minutes later. Wyatt picked up and answered, a bit embarrassed.

"Where is she?" Christopher asked nervously.

"Um. She's outside on her cell. She said she couldn't get in after I put my shield back up. Sorry. I'll lower it now."

Paige immediately orbed back into the cabin with her hands on her hips, looking rather flustered. "Took you long enough. Are you guys ok?" She turned around, glancing at both versions of her youngest nephew and gasped loudly. Even knowing that they both existed, she hadn't been prepared to see them both, and in the same room no less. She threw her hands out, drawing them both into a hug. "Chris! And Chris! I can't believe it. And you two look so much alike. Oh my goodness, Piper is going to freak out!"

"Aunt Paige, focus please. We called you here for a reason, and it was not for a reunion. We need your unique powers to get something out of Christopher. Julius had him injected with some kind of summoning potion that will recall him to the manor. It's a trap."

She turned to both young men, trying to decipher which one was which, so she resorted to darting her eyes between them back and forth, hoping she would catch the correct one. "Are you ok, honey?"

Christopher decided to help her out before sharing a slight smile with his counterpart, "I'm fine Aunt Paige. Now, can you help us out?"

She nodded gratefully, "So you want me to call for it? Well, why didn't Wyatt do it?"

He tried to hurry her along and added impatiently, "Because you're more precise since it's your main power. And I didn't want to accidentally remove something I shouldn't. Like his brain or something. Come on, come on."

"Ok. I guess I should start by summoning whatever doesn't belong there." She moved to stand behind her nephew, placing her hands on the back of his neck as he leaned forward. Closing her eyes in concentration, she sensed for the foreign substance for a moment before finding it. Visualizing it, she pulled back her hand, drawing out the neon colored potion and watched it float through the air before landing in a cup Chris held up. "Wow. That potion sure packs a hell of punch. I almost couldn't get it out. And speaking of it, how the hell did Julius get close enough to you to put that stuff in your neck?"

Wyatt looked to his brothers for the go ahead to inform her. "It's not important. Look, we'll tell you what's going on. But then you have to promise that you'll go right back so that you can get the others in on this. And don't allow them to summon the Book back to the Manor. We know what Julius is doing, and how he plans to do it. Please don't any questions about how we know. Just trust us. But we have to find out _why _Julius is doing this in order to stop him from ever trying again."

"Well, when I left, Piper and Leo had planned to summon him and not let him go until he confessed. They were going to wait until I got back."

"Good," Wyatt added hopefully. "Then we have some time to come up with a plan."

Tbc…

AN: Thank you all so much for reviewing. If you're still with me, thanks again. We're finally winding down to the end here—and I mean it this time:)


	39. He did it for me39

He did it for me

Chapter 39

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Christopher just turned 19, Chris was already 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: I think there will be one more chapter before the epilog—I thought it would be nice to tidy it up with an even number of chapters—so 40 seemed good since I couldn't finish in 30. So we'll see.

So in here, you'll find out just about everything that's been missing--well, maybe one more question—I'll ask at the end if you think you know…:)

I hope you like it and thank you all so much for being a part of my story:)

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"But what about you," after hearing the whole plan, Chris asked his counterpart sadly.

Christopher gave him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry about me. When the shift occurs, I'll automatically become part of the new Chris in the fourth timeline. I'm not going to disappear, I'm just going to exist differently—the way we're supposed to be. And when you come back, you'll become part of me. Trust me. Both of us will be able to live the way we should, in peace. You'll forget all about the horrible things you've ever been through. And luckily, so will I—because I really don't want to remember any of what happened in the last few days." He turned to his older brother and tried to convince him as well, "It really is for the best."

Wyatt had listened to both of his little brother's plan intently. Once they had started bouncing ideas off of each other, they had rapidly formulated a plan. They had each contributed different points to it, and they made sense to him at the time, but he now had his doubts about it all. And apparently, so did Chris since he was acting so unsure. Christopher seemed to be the only one who truly believed what he was saying. He's always been so persuasive, so he didn't have the heart to tell him no this time. He questioned hesitantly, "Do you think it's really for the best? That this is the way things are supposed to be?"

Christopher answered confidently, "I do. Trust me, Wy. You won't even remember the difference. None of us will."

Wyatt closed his eyes and blew out a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions in check. His younger brother must have sensed how much that this plan was bothering him, and placed his hand on his shoulder to get his attention before pulling him into a hug. Wyatt held onto him as tight as he possibly could, not wanting to let go, because the sooner he did—the sooner he would have to let him go forever.

Christopher smiled as he now found himself in the role of the older sibling, comforting his brother who seemed unwilling to accept the change. "Wy, listen…I wouldn't ask you to do this unless I was sure that it was the right thing to do. Things have to be set right. Just do things in the order we talked about, and I promise you, everything will be ok. I'll be fine. Besides, who's to say that we won't remember all of these lives when actually die of old age?"

"Yeah. Ok. Then let's get this show on the road." Wyatt answered resignedly, pulling away quickly. He turned to his aunt, "Aunt Paige, why don't you go back to the manor and explain what's going on and what the plan is. We'll take care of things from here and get Grams and the others in on this."

Paige nodded tearfully as she pulled them all into a group hug. "You three be careful, ok?" She suddenly pulled back, her features frowning with worry, "Wy? You don't think Julius could somehow track them here, do you? I mean, with each time you had to lower the shield and all…?"

He shook his head, "No, I don't think so. It wasn't long enough."

Chris's head suddenly shot up in a panic, "Wait, you let Clarence in and out—but you hadn't put it back up when Christopher and I talked. Do you think that was enough time for him to find us?"

"No, I remembered as soon as you two threw me out. I put it back up while I was—uh—polishing the door knob. Yeah. That's what I was doing," the blonde answered as his eyes darted up toward the ceiling, ignoring the smug grins of everyone present.

Paige snorted, "Polishing the door knob, Wy? You get more and more like your Aunt Phoebe everyday. Sounds like somebody just got caught eavesdropping. Good luck guys," She said just before orbing out.

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_Nearly an hour later back at the manor…_

Paige had already explained the plan and the situation, much to the chagrin of the remaining Charmed Ones and Elder.

"So you're telling me that Julius planned this several timelines ago?" Leo asked dismay.

Paige nodded, "Yeah. That's what the boys seemed to think. Actually they were pretty sure. Now we just need to find out why he wants to destroy the world to make sure that he doesn't try again. So we go with your plan to interrogate him, then we go the boys' plan and wait for our key players to show up."

Phoebe looked nervous and could only smile halfway, "You make it sound so simple."

"That's because it is. They came up with this plan, and those boys' of Piper's are no slouches—I know this will work," Paige said confidently.

Piper was biting her thumbnail nervously, "I don't like this, Paige. When Wyatt gets here, the boys will both be there unprotected."

"That's why we have to work fast," the youngest sister pointed out. She walked over to the potion shelf that had been screwed into to the wall, picking up the electric screwdriver on her way. She held out two of the other phillips screwdrivers to Leo and Phoebe as well. "That's also why we have to be prepared up front. We won't get another shot at this."

After they had finally gone through the arduous task of removing the heavy shelving, Leo whistled in surprise at what lay behind it. "Whoa. How did he manage that all by himself? This has been here? All this time? I never would have imagined it."

Sheila finally spoke up after having hung back in the corner for a while. She blushed as she admitted, "Actually, Darrel and I helped him cover it up. But the work is all his. He worked for months at it, whenever he wasn't out demon hunting. He said it was 'just in case of an emergency'. I guess the emergency has finally arrived."

Piper had to gawk at the sight in amazement for a few moments. Delicately, she traced her fingers over the intricate carving on the wooden wall and breathed out with wonder. "I never knew he was such an artist. This is beautiful."

Paige tilted her head, answering firmly. "It sure is. Now cover it up with the rug. We don't have time to admire it, not if we're going to save them."

The mother nodded silently, looking away and sighing in disappointment as they covered Chris's hand carved artwork. He had a real talent for it, and this was just one of the things that she wished she had known about her son. But if their plan worked, she would not get the opportunity to find out such things. She wouldn't get to know him anymore than she already did. And with this new revelation, it was becoming quite clear that she knew next to nothing.

Leo took her hand, smiling at her knowingly. He couldn't offer her any consoling words that would help, but he understood her reluctance, feeling much the same way. He opted instead to take her mind of it. "So. Are we ready to summon him?"

Minutes later, Piper had worked up her anger to play the role as expected, which didn't take much on her part in her current state. She paced the floor angrily as she remembered her experience many years ago with the angel of death. She signaled to the others to get ready and screamed his name, "JULIUS! JULIUS! I know you can hear me! You get your butt down here right now, or I will start casting every spell I can think of and make sure you never take another soul again! JULIUS! I'm not kidding—"

Popping in behind her, he sneered as he circled around to face the eldest Charmed One, "I'm quite certain you're not, Piper. Now what is it that you want, I have work to do."

"I want to know what you did to my son. Where is he?" Piper played along with his charade, pretending to be just as in the dark as he now did.

"He's not my responsibility to keep track of. You're his mother. That's your job," he said waving his hand dismissively.

"I can't follow him when he's been murdered."

Julius feigned innocence, tilting his head inquisitively, "Oh, is he dead?"

Piper narrowed her eyes at the black clad figure. She wished she could blow him up, but knew her powers would be ineffective on him. "Like you didn't know. Let's stop with the games, Julius. We already know that it was you that set Christopher up to be killed by one of the Korack brothers. What we want to know is why?"

Julius shrugged, seeing only way to guarantee the success of his plan. He quickly threw up his force field, sheltering himself away from the witches and the elder. He decided to play the only card he had at the moment.

"_Looking for this?" _he asked menacingly as he floated his hand through the air. Seconds later, Christopher's physical body appeared by his feet within the shield. "I found it lying around--_of all places in a storage closet_. Since no one is using it at the moment," he snapped his fingers quickly. "We don't need that now, do we?"

Piper could only watch in horror as her son's body disintegrated into a pile of ash right before her eyes. She stared at the dark outline that only moments before held the child that she bore. If this plan of theirs failed, then there was a good possibility that it had been her son's only hope for survival. She had been hoping that both versions of her youngest son could somehow cohabitate in the same body. A body that was now a pile of ash. Her legs buckled as she almost lost her resolve.

Grinning at her reaction, Julius remarked snidely. "Well. Now that we have that loose little end out of the way—you can't stop me, so I suppose we can get on with business. There's no way to resurrect Christopher now. Now before we begin, I feel it is my duty to inform you of the existence of the other Christopher. You know, the one that came to _save_ his big brother from turning evil?"

Regaining her composure now, Piper went ahead with the plan. She decided that it was her turn to answer snidely, "Tell us something _we don't know_, Julius. We know he exists and that he never crossed over, nor did he become part of our Christopher. And through some very careful investigation, we also know that you somehow believe that it was his destiny to die young. So you helped him along."

Leo saw the look of shock quickly pass over the Angel's face and added, "I thought you were supposed to be _neutral_. And this is what you call being neutral? Stepping in to murder an innocent teenage boy?"

Julius looked quite surprised that they so much, and he began to wonder if they knew of his plan to merge the two boys together. He masked his expression, and answered boldly—hoping to divert their questions with a lie. "I care nothing of the methods of death, only of the precise age--down to the hour, minute, second--of the soul I claim. The one who came to the past altered the grand design by dying outside of his timeline. He allowed the other one to be born, splitting his soul in half. The only way to remedy that was to collect his soul entirely. They had to be of the exact same age. It was nothing—_personal_."

Piper crossed her arms, gauging his reaction. Having already known the truth through her sister, she now knew that his eyebrow twitched slightly when he was lying. And she was determined to point that fact out to him, "You're lying, Julius. This wasn't about some grand design. You would murder my son, against your own rules of non-interference, just to punish me? Do you hate me that much?"

He walked around the force field, getting as close as the shield would allow before he grimaced disgustedly. "_As a matter of fact, I do," _he answered bitterly, "Your arrogance astounds me, Piper. You think that you are most powerful, and that everything revolves around you. Oh how I've dreamed of getting you on my list permanently so that I can show you otherwise. Yet you've always been granted far more lenience than you have ever deserved. '_Take her off the list', _I'm told. '_She does too much good as the Eldest of the Charmed Ones to simply end her life'_, I'm told. This situation has just been an added bonus to cause you interminable pain, _but this is not about you!" _

Knowing that it would anger him further and possibly provoke the Angel into revealing more, Phoebe stroked her chin curiously before putting on her trademark therapeutic expression. "Have you seen anyone regarding these aggression issues you seem to be having? Because your obsession with Piper and her family seems to have taken over your life. It's not normal."

"I AM NOT OBSESSED!" he fired back angrily.

Paige glared at him coldly as she took a shot at the Angel, "I was wondering…Were you like, a demon in your former life or something? Because you are just far too evil to convince me otherwise. Either that or you're just clinically insane. Unless of course, you can prove you have another reason for stalking Piper's family."

"I told you why," he ground out.

Paige shrugged indifferently and baited him again, "And we think you're lying. Is this just your twisted little way of proving your affection for her? Kind of like the little boys in kindergarten who pull the girls pigtails because they like them?"

Piper grinned smugly, enjoying the Angel's discomfort now that the tables had been turned on him. She added, "You see, we know about your plans to try and destroy the world. We even how you tricked the Elders and the Demons Council all these years into thinking how killing my son would somehow save them from it. But what we can't figure out, is what you get out of all of this. Unless of course my sisters were right about your feelings for me? But I gotta' tell you—this is so not the way to impress me."

Julius was definitely shocked now at how accurate they had been with his plans, but grimaced with the thought of wanting anything to do with that infuriating woman. He decided to set them straight since they couldn't stop him now anyway.

He addressed the two younger Charmed sisters. "If you must know, _I hate your sister_, and her simpering little offspring. Despise them even. If it weren't for the fact that I need Christopher's help, I would deem him as completely useless as his mother. Now that both of those otherwise useless little brats are dead, there is absolutely nothing you can do to interfere with their new destiny. Together, they will destroy this terribly pathetic little world of yours."

Paige questioned him irritably, "Why would you want that? You'll be destroyed right along with us."

The Angel of Death sighed dreamily. "Yes I will, as planned. True, I'll have to work overtime from all of the death and destruction her second born will cause—but in the end, it will be worth it. I can get everyone in just a short time and then be done with this horrid job!"

He began to pace and quickly grew agitated, "_Every minute_, I take a soul and get no further with new ones being born twice as fast. And with you three running around '_saving innocents', _it's even worse. I never get ahead. And it will never be over. I hate this job. AND I CAN'T RETIRE UNTIL THEY'RE ALL DEAD!"

Everyone's jaw practically hit the floor at the explanation. Paige asked incredulously, "_You want to destroy the world because you hate your job_? Most people just call out sick—or hey, here's a thought—quit—when they hate their jobs that much."

Julius shot back angrily, "Contrary to popular belief—DEATH can't take a holiday. Do you know how long I've been doing this damned forsaken job? Thousands of years. _Day in_. _Day out_. _Never _resting. _Never _any different. _Always _boring. Why don't you try it for the next 4 to 5 thousand years and then tell me how you feel." He gloated happily, "But soon, I can finally be done with it. All thanks to your second born, Piper."

"I wouldn't count on that, if I were you," another voice interrupted Julius's tirade.

The Angel of Death spun around ready to face the Twice-Blessed Witch with a brash remark, but it died on his lips at the sight of the visitor that accompanied him.

Clarence stood next to Wyatt, eying his counterpart disappointedly and shaking his finger at him, "You've been a very bad boy, Julius. I had to hear it for myself, but I see that you've been making quite a nuisance of yourself to these nice people."

Leo was familiar with the older angel of death and asked him suspiciously, "You knew what he had been up to all along?"

"No. Since Julius started this whole mess, he's the only one who remembered it. But once Penny informed me and the other's of his plan, we were able to see what went wrong."

"There are others?" Phoebe questioned.

Clarence nodded jovially. "Of course. And the majority of the others are much higher ranking than Julius, like myself for instance. He just so happens to be one of _my _apprentices. _Unfortunately_."

Piper refused to be side tracked and demanded of the older Angel of Death, "So what are you going to do about it? My son is still dead! Set up by your little sidekick here. And I will not stand for that!"

Clarence shook his head sadly, "As much as I would love to, _I _can't do anything about it. Your sons were right, Piper. The only way to undo Julius's mistakes are in the past. An Angel of Death can not time travel, nor reverse time," he explained. "That is why Julius apparently set this whole chain of events in motion, because there are a few rare souls who can. They all happen to be Halliwell's, but that's beside the point."

He waved his hand toward Julius', who now looked incredibly nervous behind the shield. The younger Angel of Death was immediately frozen in place, with only his head retaining the freedom to move. "NO!" he yelled at Clarence. "YOU CAN'T DO THIS! Not after everything I've been through…"

Paige and Phoebe ignored the angel's despairing sobs, finally glad to be doing turning the tables on him. Together, they ripped down the decorative rug that they used to cover the wall with earlier as a precaution. Revealed underneath was Chris's finely-detailed, hand-carved triquetra. They grinned together as they both thought that they wouldn't be needing any chalk this time around.

Clarence bowed curtly and extended his hand from the carving toward the Twice-Blessed Witch. "Wyatt? Be my guest. Do as you planned, and things will work out just fine. It's impossible to reset the timeline back to the original before Julius interfered, but when you come back to this new fourth timeline, it will be as close as possible to the original. Perhaps even better. Good luck, son."

Wyatt took out the letter that he had stored in his back pocket from the day prior. He didn't think he would be looking at it again so soon, but now he couldn't tear his eyes away from it. Carefully, he turned the page over and recited the spell on the back of the precious document. He smiled to his family, who all gave him encouraging nods.

He began to move, but suddenly spun around to taunt the angel who had wreaked so much havoc on his family's lives. The stunned look on his face was priceless as he shrugged. "What can I say, Julius. I have to. After all. _He did it for me_," Wyatt grinned as he jumped through the glowing portal.

Tbc…

AN: So here's the question from the first AN--where did he go? Do you think you know?


	40. He did it for me40

He did it for me

Chapter 40

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Christopher just turned 19, Chris was already 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: Ok, 40 won't work for me. So I have 2 more chapters, including this one, to go before the epilog. When I'm done, I'll condense it into about 4-5 chapters & repost.

I hope you like it and thank you all so much for being a part of my story:)

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Wyatt emerged on the other side of the portal just in time as he checked his watch hurriedly. Glancing around, he saw that the potions hadn't been touched, so he quickly sensed for his little brother and orbed downstairs to his room.

_As the two-hour deadline approached, Christopher began to get nervous with no sign of his brother. 'But then he's rarely ever on time.' Sprinting up to the attic to get the potions, he prepared to go and find his brother and drag him home, kicking and screaming if necessary. He knew how worked up he could get when fighting. _

Wyatt cursed loudly as soon as he got there, finding that his brother had beat him by a few seconds and was already heading for the attic.

_Christopher picked up a glass and started to put it in his pocket when his older brother orbed in to the other side of the attic. "It's about time!" he yelled.  
_  
Wyatt knew he had only seconds to prevent history from repeating himself, and he quickly rushed over to his brother, grabbed him roughly and shoved him into a corner. He stood in front of him protectively, Excalibur in hand while he looked around anxiously.

Christopher bristled in annoyance at the extremely rough treatment and angrily shoved at his brother currently doing an impression of a brick wall. "_What is wrong with you_? Get off! You're squishing me. Could you please move so I can BREATH!"

Wyatt gritted out sardonically, hoping to quiet his brother so that he could concentrate. "I'm not moving so that you continue to BREATH! Now would you please shut up so I can—" suddenly he stopped, held his hand up to his brother as he sensed the demon approaching.

The instant the remaining Korack brother shimmered in with his sword in hand, Wyatt decided not to waste any time parrying with him—he swung Excalibur and aimed for the heart.

As the demon's immediate scream signified its untimely end, Wyatt breathed a sigh of relief and allowed himself to relax for a moment. '_At least that's one disaster averted,'_ he thought.

Not quite so annoyed any longer, Christopher tapped his brother on the shoulder, seeing that he had to have had a good reason for his actions. He asked him calmly while staring curiously, "Can you move now? And do you want to tell me what that was all about?"

What Christopher expected was an answer, not to have his brother throw his arms around his neck in an uncharacteristically emotional response. He hugged him back for a moment, eyeing the older man strangely before pulling away. Well trying to pull away as Wyatt still clung to him tightly. "Wy? Squishing was better, cause now you're suffocating me…"

Wyatt backed up a bit, a self conscious and quirky smile gracing his features. "Oh, sorry. It's been a long couple of days."

"You haven't been doing anything for the last couple of days. And I just saw you like, two hours ago?"

"It's been a few days, Christopher. I came back to the past. To save you. That demon would have killed you just now."

"Since when do you call me Christopher?"

"It's a long story. I have to have a way to tell you apart in my mind."

"Yeah, I bet it is," Christopher laughed out loud, seeing the explanation as one of his brother's more interesting stories—the product of his overactive imagination. But the serious expression on the Twice-Blessed's face told him in no uncertain terms that it was no joke. The color suddenly drained from his face. "Wait—you're serious? I was supposed to die?"

"Yes. I mean no. You died, but you weren't supposed to. Look, before I explain what's going on, I have to get the family here to look after you while I'm gone. You've been set up, and he was not the only one who will come after you. And they won't stop until you're dead." Wyatt shot his head up to the ceiling, "DAD! AUNT PAIGE! I need help! Bring Mom and Aunt Phoebe."

As soon as his family all orbed in, worry and confusion evident on their faces, Wyatt grabbed his little brother's arm and drug him into a corner placing protection crystals around him and ignoring the protests from the younger man.

His father asked him in a panic, "Wyatt, what's going on, what are you doing?"

"Dad listen to me—This is serious and I don't have a lot of time—I just got here from a couple of days into the future. If I hadn't, my little brother would be lying on that floor dead right now. Long story short—this Angel of Death, Julius set him up to be killed. He's hired way too many assassins to be able to keep him safe. I've got to fix this where it all started—about 19 years ago. You all have to stay here and protect Christopher with your lives until we get back—the world depends on it."

"Where all what started, Honey? What are you talking about?"

Wyatt bristled at his mother's question, still fairly annoyed they had not never told him about the other Chris who had died trying to protect him. "_I mean_--I have to save him."

"Save who, Wyatt?" the Empath asked.

"Chris!" he yelled. "The Chris that came back from the future to stop me from turning evil! I have to stop him from dying! He wasn't supposed to die! He was supposed to have come back to the future and merge with our Chris. I mean--Christopher."

All of his family immediately looked on in astonishment. Both from the fact that Wyatt suddenly knew so much about what happened, and from the anger that surfaced in his own voice.

Christopher only stared at his family in complete confusion. From the guilty looks on their faces, he guessed that he was the only one here in the dark about this situation. He leaned his head in, listening intently so as not to miss a single word uttered.

Piper took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and the tears that trickled down her face. Seeing as how he knew so much, denying it was no longer an option. "He is a part of our Chris, Wyatt.

Wyatt shot back and pointed to the ceiling, "No, he isn't. He's up there, right now—mad as hell because you never came looking for him and never bothered to check that he hadn't been reincarnated or whatever." He stalked over to the Book of Shadows, flipping to the pages that summoned a spirit. Holding out his hand, he conjured several candles and proceeded to set them up in the center of the room. "Then see for yourself. Ask Grams. Or better yet, summon Chris here directly."

The Charmed sisters hesitantly stepped around the circle and recited the familiar words that they knew by heart, this time concentrating on the one person they knew so long ago. The words had been used many times throughout the years, but this was the first time that they were used in apprehension. The women glanced at each other nervously as the figure began to coalesce in the center of the circle.

Piper breathed a sigh of relief when her Grandmother appeared and stepped out of the circle. "You see," she told Wyatt, "I told you. Chris isn't up there. Because he's right here with us."

Penny shook her head sadly, "No he isn't dear. I'm not sure how you finally found out, since I was hoping you would have thought of this so much sooner, but Chris is up there. And you have to understand, he's just feeling very hurt. He—he doesn't want to see any of you right now, so he sent me."

Piper gasped in shock, her knees weakening to the point that if her husband hadn't been standing behind her reaching out suddenly, she would have collapsed to the floor. "All these years…I thought he was—Leo, how could we have not known? He's just been up there all alone…"

Penny offered in a sad tone, "He hasn't been alone, dear. Your mother, sister, and I have all been with him. We've taken good care of him."

Piper stood steadier on her feet and grabbed Penny's hands pleadingly, "I need to see him…Please?"

"I don't know if he will come…"

"Please? You can go back up and ask him. Tell him I didn't know, and that I love him. Please—I'm so sorry."

"Well, I don't actually have to leave. I can hear him from here." Giving in, Penny clasped her hands together and closed her eyes to communicate with her great-grandson. Her head tilted curiously as he fired back a response rather--emphatically. She certainly couldn't verbalize _that _to his family. Shaking her head slowly, she instead answered with the gist of his message, "He still says no. I'm sorry Darlings."

Wyatt stepped away from the wall he was leaning on and faced his great-grandmother, "Tell him that I need to talk to him. And that it would really mean a lot to me if he would come."

Penny nodded and proceeded to translate, waiting patiently for a response. Several minutes went by with no word from the boy. She had begun to think that he wasn't going to respond to all until the shining trail of lights began to form within the circle answering her with his presence.

The young man stepped from the circle becoming corporeal, his back still turned away from them. He crossed his arms as he turned around slowly, his chin jutting out defiantly.

Inside the protection of the crystals, Christopher let a whistle of amazement at the exact double of himself standing just a few feet away from him. He was too much in shock at the sight and almost missed his brother's words.

Wyatt extended his hand from Christopher to Chris in introduction, the only people in the room who hadn't met. "Christopher Perry Halliwell, meet Christopher Perry Halliwell."

Chris glared stonily at his family, turning to Wyatt as the only exception with a softened look. "Since I know they never told you about me, how did you find out?"

Wyatt ignored the question at first, instead choosing wrap his arms around the brother who had done so much for him. "It's a long story, Chris. I'm from a few days into the future. And with the help of your little time traveling spell on the back of your letter—here I am. But the point is, that I know. You yourself have told me a lot about your life. A lot of messed up things have happened in the past few days, and then I found out what happened to you so many years ago. You died saving my life, and while I can't thank you enough—I can't let you do that for me."

It warmed his heart to see the caring and concern in those familiar blue eyes, but Chris's eyes lowered in defeat as he felt that he had to inform the witch. "It's a little late for that, Wyatt. I'm dead. Have been for 19 years."

"Well not if I can help it—and that's what I'm here to do. I'm going back to save you. I'm not going to let you die this time. It wasn't supposed to happen that way. You were supposed to have come back to the future—alive—and become a part of the Chris I've grown up with." He suddenly turned to his other brother with a hopeful expression, "…if that's ok with you?"

Christopher was still sitting back observing with wide-eyed wonder. He nodded absently before realizing that his brother probably needed to hear a verbal response. "He's me right?"

"Yes."

Christopher answered without hesitation, "Then yes. I'll do it. Just tell me what I need to do."

Wyatt handed his mother a letter, "Actually, you guys just have to make sure you read the spell on the back of this paper. When Chris and I get back from the past, we won't remember going there. The future will be changed, so you guys will have to remember for us. This spell will allow you to do that. And then you have to send me and Chris ahead exactly two days so that we arrive just when I left. But we have to come here first, in order for Chris to merge with Christopher."

Phoebe took the spell from her sister's hand and read it over. She eyed it with surprise, "This looks like something I would have written. You've always had such an ineptitude for writing spells, but this one--it's pretty good, Wyatt."

Wyatt rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Aunt Phoebe—but you were the one who wrote it. I just copied it down on paper."

Sinking her shoulders down in embarrassment, she muttered a high-pitched, "Oh."

Wyatt mocked her with the same movement, exaggerating her voice and facial movements, "Oh." He ducked as she swatted him playfully, eliciting a soft laughter from Chris. He suddenly grew serious again, "Ok—we have to do this now. It won't be long before the demons realize that Christopher isn't dead yet—and they send several other someone's to finish the job. Ok, Chris--I already know the exact moment, but I need to know exactly where you were standing when it happened."

Chris glanced around the room, frowning in consternation as he tried to recall his last position in the attic when Gideon had stabbed him. He shrugged in disappointment, "Sorry, it looks a little different. I'm not sure."

Leo walked on shaky legs before dropping to his knees heavily. While his son may not have been sure, he was. He allowed the silent tears to streak down his face as he stared at the spot dazedly, his hand hovering over the blood stained outline that had long since been erased from the wood. He looked at loss for words as he began to break down. The images of finding his son lying in a pool of blood had remained for nearly two decades. Had haunted his memory each and every time he stood in this attic since, but had always been pushed to the back of his mind—safe in the knowledge that his son had a new life now, and was growing up happy and healthy. Now that he knew that wasn't the case, he grieved again for the son he had failed, finally allowing the heartbreak of that day to flood through him. He looked up as someone put their arms around him and spoke softly.

"It's ok, Dad. It wasn't your fault. I never blamed you for what happened to me. That was Gideon's doing, not yours. You did everything you could."

Wanting to hear those words for so long, Leo turned and threw his arms around his son. He sobbed into his shoulder while whispering repeatedly, "I'm so sorry," as Chris returned the embrace.

With the exception of Christopher sitting down inside of the protection crystals on the opposite side of the room, everyone else hovered near by, wiping their own eyes constantly.

Trying to liven up the highly emotionally charged atmosphere, Wyatt threw his arms around both men comically. "Aw, can I have some love too?"

As the others looked at each other and laughed at his antics, they found he had the right idea and all joined in, toppling the pile of limbs over. Somehow, Chris ended up on the bottom.

Christopher laughed at his family as Penny inched over to him. "Do you wish you were over there with them?" she asked curiously.

"No way," he shook his head confidently. "Chris is on the bottom. Me—I like my ribs just where they are."

Getting up with a huge grin on his face, Chris strolled over to his counterpart inside the crystals. "Hey there, mini-me," he greeted him. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Sure. As long as you stop calling me 'mini-me'."

Wyatt offered helpfully, "He can call you—"

Sensing a smart comment from his brother, Christopher held up his hand warningly, "Don't finish that sentence, Wy. He doesn't need any ideas from you."

Paige reminded Wyatt, "You know, when you go back--you can't stop Gideon from taking your baby self. You have to let Leo take care of him—we can't risk changing the past too much. Just worry about saving Chris."

Wyatt nodded confidently, "I got it, Aunt Paige. That's actually the exact same thing you said to me before I got here." He rubbed his hands together anxiously before turning and blowing up the potions shelf unexpectedly.

"What did you do that for!" his mother fussed at him while ducking the exploding pieces of wood.

He shrugged defensively, "I need to get access to the carving that Chris made. I had to orb past it when I arrived here and it was just too much trouble. It would be easier if I could just walk through the portal." He quickly recited the spell once again that would take him back in time.

His father waved at him just before he jumped through, "Good luck, Wy."

Tbc…

AN: Thank you for reading and reviewing.


	41. He did it for me41

He did it for me

Chapter 41

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Christopher just turned 19, Chris was already 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: This is the last chapter before the epilog. I think I promise this time :D

When I'm done, I'll condense it into about 4-5 chapters & repost.

I hope you like it and thank you all so much for being a part of my story:)

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Wyatt stepped through the portal, immediately sensing the danger and orbing to the spot where his father had pointed out. He had hoped to intercept his brother before it was too late and raise his shield in front of the teen to protect him from Gideon's cursed blade.

But he wasn't quite fast enough. Their timing had only been off by mere milliseconds, but just long enough for the blade to tear through the young man's flesh.

Gideon twisted the athame to subdue his victim, dropping him to his knees before he wrenched the steel from his body. '_Not the intended target'_, he thought grimly, '_but it will do for a distraction'. _He backed up quickly and reached into the playpen, grabbing the wide-eyed child.

Chris called out for his father weakly. He was in shock as he held his older brother in his arms. He couldn't believe his own eyes--Wyatt had come from the future, and deliberately kept him out of harms way. He had saved his life at the risk of his own. This wasn't the brother he had known, certainly not the one who had tried to kill him the last time they had met. Yet as the older man began to tremble from the shock of blood loss, his intentions were clear. Wyatt had taken a potentially fatal wound meant for him. He called out for his father again, his voice growing louder in desperation. "DAD!"

Leo orbed in a panic, desperate to answer the distressed voice. He arrived just in time to watch Gideon orb away with his two-year old son and muttering his apologies.

As he neared his two sons, he recognized his oldest child immediately. Blinded by Barbas' earlier deception, he tried to get Chris to let go of him. "Chris, get away from him! He's evil!"

Wyatt shook his head and responded weakly, "No, Dad." He opened his hand to reveal the crumpled and torn piece of paper he had been holding since his trip through the portal.

Chris saw the action and took it from him. Holding it up to his face, he immediately recognized his own handwriting. He had only just given the letter to his Godmother two days ago. He stared at his brother in surprise. "I wrote this. Just in case. I gave this to Aunt Sheila for safekeeping a couple of days ago. Since it had the time travel spell on it, it was only for emergencies. And _only _if you turned out ok. What are you doing here?"

Wyatt tried to joke, "She gave it to me in an emergency. You keep dying, I have to keep saving you."

The younger man smiled even though he didn't understand the reference as he held on tighter, sitting his brother up and leaning him against his chest. His eyes, glistening with tears, shot up and sought his father's. "He's good, Dad. We did it. She wouldn't have given this to him otherwise. Heal him—please?"

Leo trusted his son's judgment and wasted no time holding his hands over Wyatt's back. He looked up in a panic, "He's not healing…"

"It's not going to, Dad. Gideon's magic is preventing it. There's nothing you can do except go after my baby self now."

"No! Wyatt, I am not leaving you like this. You're here now—so that means the baby will be ok. We still have time to find something to heal you."

"Not if you don't do what you're supposed to do. You have to go after my baby self and kill Gideon. It's the only way to stop him from trying again," Wyatt reasoned.

"I'll bring him back to heal you. When the other Elder's find out what he tried to do, they'll take care of punishing him."

Wyatt didn't have the strength to argue with his father any longer. He was dying and he knew it. But he also knew that his father had made a conscious decision to kill the Elder in his timeline. So why now was he trying to avoid doing it now? A thought suddenly popped into his head as he cursed under his breath. The first time around, his father had been angry enough to kill his mentor—_only after—_the murder of his youngest son. He didn't know what damage leaving the Elder alive would do the timeline. Or worse, would he try again and succeed?

An idea soon formed in Wyatt's mind. He thought about what his father had been through once before and how he had broken down in the attic, and immediately regretted his decision. But it was the only way he could see at the moment. He only hoped that his father would be able to forgive him.

He looked into his brother's eyes, hoping that he would understand and do as he asked. "Chris? No matter what happens, promise me you'll stay with me for at least an hour. I came all this way to meet you—this isn't how I planned for things to go. Please?"

If the dark-haired teen thought it was a strange request, he didn't have time to dwell on it. His heart skipped a beat as Wyatt's head fell forward, his body going limp in his arms. His voice edged with fear, he shook the blonde gently, "Wyatt? Wyatt-no.no.no.NO! Please don't do this to me! Not now!"

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Astral projecting down into his mother's room, Wyatt dropped to the bed weakly. He hadn't done that in a long time, and even then, it took much effort. His mother had forced him to stop astral projecting years ago when one such incident had nearly landed him in the city morgue. As the Twice-Blessed Witch, he tended to always have Wiccan powers to the extreme.

For him, astral projection was not immune to the condition. His body unfortunately decided to take the projection literally and pause his bodily functions entirely until his consciousness returned to it. His blood stopped flowing. His heart stopped beating. His lungs stopped breathing. To the average observer who wasn't aware of his unique powers, he would appear dead.

His father didn't know of those powers yet.

He looked up to the ceiling, feeling the weight of guilt as he heard the commotion upstairs from his father's rampage. The apparent death of a child was the only thing that would send his normally pacifist father off the deep end. But it was unfortunately a necessary evil. It was the only way for things to remain on course and ensure that Gideon would be dealt with swiftly by his father's hands.

Wyatt could only hope that his _death _wouldn't be a permanent situation for him. With his body fatally injured and rapidly growing weaker, he wasn't sure if he could even project back into his body. And if the body was injured, his soul would continue to grow weaker as time passed. He would definitely need his brother's help before the hour was up.

A quick spell he had invented as a teenager would allow the witch to transfer his consciousness back where it belonged. The only problem was that it required two powerful witches, and if his brother went on the hunt for Gideon with his father, he would be one witch short of that equation.

He leaned back on the bed, severely tempted to lie down after the trauma of being stabbed. Even his astral self felt the pull of much needed rest. But he stood up, knowing that if he lay down, it would probably be for the last time. Instead, he focused his attention toward the attic and sensed for his father. As soon as he felt the man orb out of the manor hastily, he projected himself into the attic.

Wyatt padded over to his brother who seemed unaware of his presence. He watched for a moment as Chris sobbed into his shoulder all the while murmuring apologies. He bent down and touched his hair to get his attention. "It's ok, Chris."

Chris looked up to find what he thought was his brother's ghost. He shook his head apologetically, "I'm so sorry, Wyatt. I never meant for this to happen. I was only trying to save you, not get you killed."

"I'm not dead yet, Chris. Not if you help me. I'm just astral projecting right now. And you did save me."

Chris shifted his gaze from the figure standing next to him to the limp body in his arms. Even though he could no longer feel any signs of life from his brother, he began to think back. The confusion gradually lifted as he heard Wyatt speak again.

"Didn't your Wyatt ever astral project? His body probably shut down the same as mine does."

Chris nodded slightly, "He only did it once. He said that it made him too vulnerable."

"Well I don't feel like that anymore—you saved me from that fate. I'm sorry I upset you and dad just now, but I had to fake my death so he would go after Gideon like he was supposed to. And now I need your help to get back in there," he said pointing to his body.

Chris began to panic again as he looked at the blood covering his arms, "But your body is still dying."

Wyatt ran his hands through his unruly hair as he admitted shyly, "I know. I was kind of hoping you would come up with something since you're the one with all the ideas. But after I get back in my body. It's too weak right now to recall my consciousness by itself. I need you to recite a spell with me—it requires two powerful witches to do it."

The two young men muddled through the spell and Wyatt soon returned to his body, albeit very painfully. He inhaled sharply, the pain of the wound that refused to heal nearly causing him to pass out in the process.

Chris pressed his hand to the wound to staunch the blood flow, wincing as Wyatt hissed through clenched teeth. "You still didn't answer my question. Why did you come back?"

Wyatt gritted his teeth and answered, trying to take his mind off the pain. "He was going to kill you. I couldn't let that happen. It wasn't supposed to happen. Then again, neither was this…I'm sorry, Chris. But it's not your fault, and I don't blame you—you know that, right?"

Chris started to protest before determination set in his eyes. "I can't help myself--guilt seems to be part of my DNA. But I can help you. I'm not going to let you die, Wyatt. I'll be damned if I came all this way to fix things, you turn out good, only to end up dying in my arms? To hell with that. I've got a plan."

Wyatt's lips curled up slightly, but he looked on proudly. "at-a-boy, kid. I knew you could do it."

"You said Gideon's magic is preventing you from being healed?"

"…y..eesss" he drawled out lethargically.

"Then Gideon's going to heal you."

"Won't do it. Too late. Dad…"

"I never said the Gideon _from this time_…" Chris remarked sardonically. He flicked his wrist toward the potions shelf and tore down the cabinet to reveal the triquetra he had spent weeks carving.

Chris threw his brother's arm around his shoulder and helped him to his feet before he led him to the portal. "Come on, Wyatt. We're going on a trip. Before Gideon ever even heard of the Charmed Ones. So he'll never even consider you a threat because you won't even be a twinkle in your parent's eyes."

Wyatt grinned weakly as he was practically dragged back in time again. "How far back?"

"Before mom was even born. Just to be on the safe side. No nasty little premonitions or prophesies about your birth to get his twisted little mind working."

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Arriving on the other side of the portal, Chris immediately orbed into magic school and sensed for the duplicitous Elder. He found him in one of the libraries re-shelving some books.

He drew in a deep breath to calm himself from the rage that had settled within. Seeing the elder that had just tried, and very nearly succeeded, in murdering his older brother, infuriated him to no end. With his back turned, it would be so easy to simply rid them all of their problem right then and there, and Gideon would never again be a threat to their family.

Chris warned his older brother to play along, more out of the need to hear and reinforce it for himself than for Wyatt's sake. He quickly put on a false smile as he helped his brother into a chair. "Master Gideon, we need your help."

Gideon spun around and looked up startled. He strode over to them suspiciously, his black robe trailing behind him. "Do I know you? How did you get in here?"

Chris schooled his best innocent look as he gesture to his brother, "It's a long story, sir. My friend and I need your help. We're whitelighters."

"Yes lads, how can I be of service?"

"He needs healing. Please just help him, and I'll explain everything."

Gideon nodded gracefully and bent down to heal the young blonde man. He frowned in consternation. "This is very strong magic. It's resistant to healing."

Chris played on the Elder's sense of false pride, "But you can do it right? I've always known that you were one of the most powerful Elders. You have to be able to do it."

Gideon balked slightly, but didn't attempt to deny Chris's words. "Of course I can. I was merely making a statement." He pointed out even as the wound closed itself and Wyatt again began to feel renewed.

With his thick, Brogue accent, Gideon snapped out curtly, "I shall take that explanation now."

Chris was more relieved than he had ever been in his life as Wyatt sat up and stretched, apparently, none the worse for wear. His lie rolled off his tongue easily, "We're students of yours. From the future. But we accidentally got sent to the past. Now we've already come up with a potion to get us home, but we ran into some demons on the way. And my friend was hurt. When we found out what time we were in, I remembered that you mentioned working here, so we came here in the hopes that you could help."

"Yes. That seems logical. What are your names, by the way?"

Chris smiled innocently. He knew that his family hated when he always refused to tell them information under the guise of _future consequences_. It irritated them immensely. So the fact that he could now turn around and use it on someone he hated, made him gloat happily. "We can't tell you that Master Gideon. In fact, it was you who has always told us that telling anyone about future events could change it too much. You're not supposed to meet us for a very long time. In fact, we should probably wipe your memory of us being here so that things go back to the way they're supposed to be."

Gideon looked at them a bit strangely before agreeing somewhat reluctantly. "Alright then. I suppose I can't argue with my own advice, now can I?"

Wyatt turned to his brother and offered a tight-lipped grin. He was going to be fine. They both were. And the only thing they needed to do now was erase Gideon's memory and return them to the future. He couldn't believe what he was about to do, but he didn't want to risk any unnecessary changes to the timeline. He gritted out roughly, "Thank you so much for your help, Master Gideon. Now we really must be going. We don't want to stay in this time too long and risk altering it. Do you happen to have any memory dust?"

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As he stood there and watched the portal close, Gideon had the strangest sensation that there was something he should be remembering. "Oh that's right!" he muttered out loud. He grabbed the ends of his robe and hurried down the hall, "I have a potions class to teach…"

Tbc…

AN: The epilog is up next. Wyatt and Chris are on their way back…to see how it ends, you'll just have to stay tuned one more time. Thank you so much for being here this long:)


	42. He did it for meEpilog

He did it for me

Epilog

By: teal-lover

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.

Chris was already 19, Christopher just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.

Disclaimer in chapter 1

AN: This has to be the longest two days in my life :D

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As Chris and Wyatt emerged through the portal, only one of them looked surprised to see a very pregnant Piper flipping through the Book of Shadows.

"Chris, who is this, where did you come from? And more importantly, if you're up here, who is watching Wyatt?"

Chris stammered nervously, hearing the irritation in her voice, he turned to his brother for an explanation.

Wyatt stepped forward but stopped as Piper grabbed her stomach protectively with one hand, and raised the other to blow up the stranger if necessary. "It's me, mom—Wyatt?" At her worried look, he held his hands out in a non-threatening gesture. "And don't worry, I'm not evil."

She looked to Chris who nodded in confirmation before she ran to embrace him as fast as her wobbly legs could carry her. "Oh my baby, we did it? You're ok? What are you doing here?"

"I came back to save my brother."

"WYATT!" Chris screeched. "Haven't you ever heard the phrase, _'future consequences'_?"

Over Piper's shoulder, Wyatt gave him a knowing look that said, _'trust me, I know what I'm doing'_. He pulled back from the woman and walked over to the potions cabinet wordlessly.

"What are you doing?" She asked curiously as he rifled through the shelves.

He turned and smiled innocently, "I just need something out of the cabinet in order for us to get back."

She craned her neck to try and see what he was holding. "What's that?"

He ignored her question and walked over to hug her again, "I love you so much mom." Pulling back, he took her face in his hands and brushed his thumb against her cheek tenderly. "But I never meant for you to be here when we arrived." He waved his hand under her nose, stirring that powder that had been hidden from her view and causing her to inhale.

As the sleeping potion instantly filled her lungs, he quickly reached out and caught her before she hit the ground and laid her down gently.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" his brother screamed at him and rushed to her aid.

"Relax, would you. You're crazy if you think I would ever hurt my own mother. Not even your Wyatt would sink that low."

Downstairs, Chris heard a commotion in the attic and set the toddler down with a warning to stay put. He knew his mother was in the attic alone and he quickly orbed up to her rescue.

The sight that greeted him was shocking to say the least. Standing over his unconscious mother was what appeared to be his brother, and some kind of demonic clone of himself directly next to him. He raised his hands and prepared to TK the two away from the woman.

The older witch was faster and orbed in front of the months younger version of his companion. He blew the sleeping dust into his face and caught him too as he began to fall. Looking up to his brother who now stood with his own hands raised defensively, he held his hands out non-threateningly. "Take it easy. You know as well as I do that they can't know we've been here. I had to knock them out before I gave them the memory dust, but they'll be just fine—as proof, you're here aren't you? If they know I'm saved, then they'll get sloppy. And that could risk everything. I, for one, do not like the idea of going back to a future where I'm the ruler of all evil? Do you?"

"No." Chris admitted reluctantly. He pointed to the man in Wyatt's arms, "But he's just me two months ago. This is too weird. Why did you bring me here? Why didn't you just take us back to the future you came from? You said it was good. You said I was happy there. Why did you detour?"

"Because." he shot back a little too quickly. He avoided his brother's eyes and stared at the floor sadly. "Because I never really got the chance to say goodbye to you."

The younger of the two looked on in confusion. "But you said I would merge with mini me? That I would finally get the life I always wanted."

"But when we go back to the time when I left, I won't remember you. I mean I'll know you. But not as you are right now. Look, I know it was selfish and risky of me to bring you here first, but I just couldn't go back without--"

Chris nodded in understanding as the older man drifted off. He put his arm on Wyatt's shoulder, "It's ok. But I'm all right with going back to the future. I won't be gone, Wyatt. I'll still be Christopher Perry Halliwell, only happier. If you know anything about me, then you know my life has been full of pain and misery. I'd love to be able to forget all of that. Please, Wyatt? I just want to be happy…"

"And you will be." He bent down and dusted his sleeping mother and brother with the memory dust. He then walked over and blew up the potions cabinet again to get access to the portal that Chris had carved. He grinned mischievously, "Mom's gonna' love that one. You should have seen the look on her face the first time I blew it up."

"You're stalling Wy. Can I call you that?"

"Of course. But when you get there, it will be second nature to you." Wyatt recited the spell again and waited for the tell tale blue glow of the portal that would take them to the future. He took a deep breath and hugged his brother one last time. "You ready?"

Chris smiled confidently, "Looking forward to it." Without waiting for his brother's answer, if any, he walked briskly into the portal.

Wyatt hung back a moment as he watched the retreating form, knowing that he wouldn't hear him. "Goodbye Chris." He mumbled to himself before taking the final step into the portal himself.

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Piper paced back and forth awaiting the safe return of her sons. The spell they had cast just before Wyatt left prevented them from being affected by any change he made in the past, but it also gave them the ability to remember what happened so they could send the boys two days into the future. In effect, they had frozen time to allow for their return.

She kept throwing nervous glances to her youngest son, still trapped within the crystal cage. Her attitude sparked his own nervousness, and he asked her worriedly. "What's going to happen once they get here? Do we have to do something? How will I know when—" he stopped abruptly, predicting the portal's activation minutes before it whirred to life.

Piper waved her hand in front of her son's face as he stared at the portal in a daze, "Leo, what's happening."

He watched in amazement as his youngest son stepped out of the portal from the past. Almost in slow motion, his body became translucent until it faded and transformed into a swirl of yellow and white orbs lights. They floated over to Christopher, who sat waiting patiently for the new soul, unaware of anything in the room except for a silent call that only he seemed to be able to hear.

"We're actually seeing the time shift. They're merging together as one soul as they were always meant to. It's just happening slow enough for us to see it. This would have happened instantaneously if we hadn't done the spell."

Everyone was so focussed on the transformation, that no one noticed as Wyatt strolled through the portal a few seconds after the merge was complete, though Chris still seemed out of it. He looked around in confusion before asking his family, "Why are you guys all here? And what's wrong with Chris?"

"What do you mean, 'what's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? I mean, you're the one standing here with your mouth hanging open."

"Yeah, but a second ago—you were catatonic."

Chris waved his hand dismissively, "Please. I was just fine. Maybe you could use your healing abilities to fix your eyesight."

"There's nothing wrong with my vision. Would somebody please teel him that I'm not crazy?" he looked around expectantly.

Piper glanced at the destroyed potions cabinet and eyed the rest of her family with a warning before they could answer. She was still annoyed over his careless and willful destruction of her things, so she decided to let him stew for a bit and remained silent.

At the lack of response his famly gave except for the slight smirks, he rolled his eyes petulantly. "Traitors."

His younger brother just laughed and headed for the door. "Whatever. I've got a paper to finish, so I'll see you guys later."

Since she was closest, Paige grabbed his arm to prevent him from leaving, "Not so fast, buddy. The two of you are going on a little trip."

Chris protested, "Aunt Paige, I don't have time to go demon vanquishing right now—whoa—for some reason, that sounded incredibly odd to me."

Paige glanced at her sisters with one eyebrow raised as they all nodded in silent agreement. They suspected that it was the subconscious influence of the other Chris that gave him that feeling, especially since their neurotic-whitelighter-turned-son/nephew, always made time for vanquishings.

He pointed to the hallway as he tried to pry her fingers from his bicep. "I have an economics paper due, and if I don't get it done, Professor Wilson is going to fail me."

Piper stepped in to calm his growing agitation. "Calm down, Chris. You're professor is never going to know the difference, and right now, you have something more important to do."

His mouth flung open in disbelief. He couldn't believe his mother of all people would say something like that. Piper Halliwell, the queen of wanting her family to have a normal life and not letting wiccan duties interfere with that normalcy—wanted him to blow off his normal responsibilities.

Piper glared at her youngest son sternly. "Christopher. I am your mother. Have I ever steered you wrong?"

"No."

"Then trust me. You and Wyatt have to go exactly two days into the future where you belong, and everything will be fine."

"We belong here."

Leo walked over to his oldest son, "No, Wyatt, you don't. _YOU _came to us from exactly two days into the future to come back and prevent your brother's death."

"WHAT!" they both cried out.

Leo tried to set them at ease. "Don't worry, you succeeded Wyatt. Your brother is safe. The only thing you have left to do now is go back to the future where you came from."

Wyatt still seemed unconvinced, "Well, why would Chris have to go?"

Phoebe answered, "Well, from what we understand, before you went even further back to the past—two days from now is when the first Chris originally made the first time travel backwards to stop you and your fiance from getting killed. You mentioned something about calling him _Bob_ or something?"

Wyatt looked at his brother and they backed away from their parents slowly. "Okkkk," he drawled out. "Either a spell or potion went wrong, or they've finally just jumped off the deep end."

Piper swatted him playfully, "There is absolutely nothing wrong with us. In fact, it's both of _YOUR _memories that have been affected. Yours because you actually time travelled, and his because his counterpart did and merged with him."

Wyatt's eyes grew wide with satisfaction. "Ah ha! I knew something was going on that you weren't telling."

His mother handed him the other half of a torn piece of paper that had his handwriting on it. "It's all right here in the note you left for us with the spell to allow us to remember."

Chris snatched the note out of his brother's hand and read it himself. He looked ashen as he stared into his mother's eyes. "Then this is all really true?"

"Yes, baby."

"Then what do we do now?" he asked in a small voice.

Piper took her youngest son's face in her hands and brought him down to her level to kiss his forehead gently. "You go home…"

Moments later, Chris and Wyatt looked back hesitantly as they prepared to step through the portal into their new lives, leaving their family as they were, behind forever.

Through silent tears, the Elder said goodbye to his sons for the last time. There lives would all change the second the portal closed, and there was no need to remember any of this life's events. He wrapped his arms around his wife tightly and she leaned back into his embrace. She raised her hand, releasing the torn paper that held their past, and it floated out of the window and out of their lives…

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Wyatt and Chris tumbled out of a portal in the attic, only to face their immediate and very upset family members.

Piper stalked over angrily to the two, grabbing her oldest son's arm to pull him up from the ground where he landed. "Where the hell have you two been? Kyra is downstairs crying her eyes out! She thought—we ALL thought—you got cold feet! Couldn't you have at least told her you didn't want to get married instead of dragging your brother off to who knows where just before the wedding!"

Wyatt looked around at the mixture of angry and dissappointed faces of his family before addressing his mother. "I don't have cold feet, mom. I love Kyra. There was just something I had to do."

Melinda, Phoebe's daughter defended her best friend and shoved her oldest cousin. "_Like what, Mr? _What could possibly be so important that you had to run off the morning of your own wedding—without telling anyone, especially your soon to be wife?"

Wyatt stood there dumbfounded and at a loss for words. He knew deep down that he had a good reason for his actions, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember what it was as the new timeline took effect. He turned to his brother for help, who shrugged with a look that said that the younger witch was just a clueless as he.

He began to panic as he realized that he didn't have a good explanation for disappearing and falling out of the attic wall. If he couldn't explain it to his family, how was he going to explain it to Kyra?

In the blink of an eye, a figure appeared to answer his question.

Piper was ready to blow up the intruder, "This is so not the day to mess with my family. If you would like to get vanquished at a later date, come back tomorrow and we'll pencil you in."

The figure laughed with genuine fondness. "Oh, Piper, you'll never change. Actually, I'm just here to help you—or rather, your sons." He snapped his finger and two figures appeared. One in a sagging heap on the floor surrounded by flowing white lace and chiffon; the other in jeans and a t-shirt sporting a look of utter confusion.

The strange figure spoke bluntly, "My name is Clarence, and I'm the Angel of Death. Formerly only for special cases, but circumstances have changed and now I take care of quite a few cases until a replacement can be found. Don't be alarmed--I'm not here for any of you. I only want to tell you that your sons, both of them—did a brave and noble thing. You should be proud of them."

Receiving confused looks from everyone in the room, he walked over to the young woman sprawled on the floor in her wedding dress, and wiped away the black mascara dripping down her cheeks. He held her hand and helped her up as he spoke in a gentle fatherly voice, "Kyra? Your fiancé and his brother did a little time traveling recently to set a few things right. They don't remember why or how, but I do. Don't worry, it's supposed to be that way. And I can tell you that their mission was of the utmost importance—the world depended on it. I can't tell you anymore than that, only that I know this young man loves you, and he didn't abandon you. He's loved you in more than just this lifetime," he added cryptically.

Through her sobs, the young woman allowed the angel to lead her over to her fiancé and place her hand into his. Never taking her eyes of off the blonde witch, she watched in amazement as the love and passion shone in his bright blue eyes. '_How could she have doubted him_', she thought as his lips met hers.

Phoebe giggled gleefully, "I think the wedding's on again." She rushed over and pulled the two apart, grabbing the woman's hand as they exited the attic, her daughter trailing behind them excitedly. "Come on, we've got to find you a new dress. It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding."

Clarence turned to the tall figure in the t-shirt. "And you—you wanted out? You got it. Go and retire. But I hope you manage to do a whole lot of good in the time you have, else I'll be coming for you and you won't like where you end up. I'd be very careful out there if I were you, because you get no second chances. And no, before you ask—you don't get to remember your former life as an Angel of Death, Julius. I'm making you human." Clarence snapped his fingers again, transforming the all-knowing former angel into a confused bystander before he disappeared from their sight.

Leo stared at the spot the man was just standing and babbled, "He was an Angel of Death? What did he do wrong? I didn't even know it was possible to reverse the process and make them human. Where will he go now? What will he do?"

"Yes, it's possible. Something he never bothered to ask. Instead, he decided to cause trouble for us and your family. But he won't be bothering you again, given that he doesn't have a clue who he was. I sent him to off work in a homeless shelter with a new identity. Trust me, he has a lot of hours of community service to atone for his actions."

Moments later, they all heard screeching tires outside in what sounded like an accident. _"Someone call an ambulance!" _ Someone shouted from the street. "_He won't be needing one," _another disembodied voice commented amidst the crowd of gathering people. The Halliwells' rushed to the window to glimpse the drama.

Clarence shook his head in annoyance as the new name appeared on his list. It read simply, _Julius._ "I told him to be careful."

Chris shrugged and didn't feel bothered by his lack of sympathy for the former Angel of Death. Whatever the Angel had done, he had a sneaking suspicion that it must have been bad. He questioned the older Angel curiously, "You're not going to tell us what any of that was about, are you? Not even a hint at what Wyatt and I were doing?"

Clarence put his arm on Chris' shoulder, "No, son. It's best if you don't know. You know, I remember hearing something one of you said recently in your time travel exploits, the phrase I believe was, '_He did it for me'. _But I don't think that was right. The two of you did a good thing…for the world. But mostly, you did it for each other. You two make a good team. Look after each other."

The two brothers shared a grin with each other before he turned and waived goodbye.

Clarence added one final note before disappearing to collect the soul that lay in the street below them, "Good luck you two. You have a destiny to fulfill. And this is only the beginning."

The Halliwell brothers turned and shared a look of confusion, along with two sets of raised eyebrows at the Angel's cryptic farewell.

Paige frowned with her hand on her hip, "That was one strange dude."

Wyatt sighed, "You can say that again."

Grinning mischievously, Paige started before Piper cut her off "That was one—"

"Paige? Don't start. I'm annoyed enough as it is, and now we've got to scramble to get everything else ready in time for the guests." Piper fussed as she hurried out of the room. When she was frazzled, no one was immune to her short temper. As an afterthought, she called out to her husband from the bottom of the stairs, "Leo, do something useful and go get your son's ready, _please_?"

Leo chuckled as he orbed his sons away, the tense frustration of their earlier departure, as well as the Angel's parting message were all quickly forgotten in the hustle and bustle of preparing for the afternoon's nuptials.

The END.

And now—my thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. In case I didn't mention it—I greatly appreciate it. It's the only thing that makes me want to keep writing, so I extend my eternal gratitude to you all. I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed writing.

Altaira, Good thing thing you came in at the end, huh? At least it's finished now. Thanks for reading & reviewing

Alyssa Halliwell, I think you have reviewed just about every single chapter—and for that, I can't thank you enough for all of the encouragement you've given me. But I will try—thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you

To infinity….

And then some.

Alyssa T, Thanks so much for reading & reviewing. I gave you plenty of angst, just like you wanted. I hope you liked it.

Amieg, Thanks for being honest—I hope things are cleared up now that it's finished, and I hope you liked it. Thank you for reviewing.

Anon……I'd like to thank you properly, but I don't know your name—but I'm hoping that you remember reviewing & know who I'm referring to—so thank you.

blacknightwolf04, Thank you for reviewing. This is the last chapter of this story, but I hope you liked it.

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Calen, Sorry that Wyatt didn't get to destroy those horrible Elders, but maybe Julius's demise makes you happy? Thanks for reading & reviewing.

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Nathy1000000, Thank you so much for all of your encouraging reviews. And the detail in them really helped me to write more about the brother's relationship. You tell me what you like, I write more of it:)

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prettyredneck85, Thanks for reading & reviewing. And you got your wish—I brought him back—several times;)

Prillygirl, I hope you didn't hurt yourself—because I wouldn't want to be the cause of someone falling off a chair. But I hope you still like the story. Thanks for reading & reviewing.

Pukah, Thanks for reading & reviewing. And I think the story about wyatt/chris in the old timeline was probably my favorite part of the story too—out of the whole entire thing—which happens to be a lot. Don't think I'll be doing that again anytime soon.

Queen of the Dudes, thank you for your wonderful reviews. They were very helpful in writing some of the chapters. As I mentioned before, you inspired me to write more chris/wyatt interaction, and I liked the way it turned out. I hope you did too.

Raleigh's Haven, I like Clarence too, he's cool. I hope I've answered your questions and that you like the way I ended. Thanks for reading & reviewing.

Red-rumm, I hope you still like the story. Thanks for reading & reviewing.

Sakari, Well you guessed right, so I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading & reviewing.

Septdeneuf, thanks so much. Your reviews were very detailed and helpful. I hope you liked the way I finished it off.

sexyirishBeep, I love your nick name by the way. Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews.

shyeye, see, you got what you wanted. I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading & reviewing.

Sparkling Cherries, your reviews always have me laughing, so thank you so much for your comic relief—and your wonderful supportive reviews. Finally, you don't have to want to strangle me anymore since there are no more cliffhangers. Proud of me? Though I did have to end the story in order to do it—so maybe that doesn't count, huh?

Starry Sky 44, Thank you so much for reviewing. I'm so glad that you took the time to let me know. It's really encouraging to see that there are people out there that enjoy my babbling.

Stony Angel, Thank you so much dear—your reviews and support have always been so encouraging. I don't know enough words to say thanks.

StoryDiva, Oh, please don't shake me, but you don't have to thank me either. But I do have to thank you for such a glowing review. I hope it had plenty that you liked in it all the way up until the end—which was today. So you didn't have to wait too long for the conclusion.

Stranded Stargazer, Thanks for the review. I hope you still like it.

Tasmaniantiger, thank you for reading & reviewing. I hope your still following.

Teisha, I'm glad that you liked the story so far until ch. 41—so I hope that's a good sign that you'll like the epilog I posted. Thanks for reading & reviewing.

Teri, your review on the ducks had me laughing on ch. 26. I couldn't stop cracking up. Thanks a lot for reading & reviewing.

Terri, well thank you for all your reading & reviewing. I hope you still like the way I've taken the story.

trina-k, I must have drove you absolutely nuts with all the cliffies—but now, I hope you're happy since I think for the first time—I'm not ending it on a cliffhanger:) I hope you liked it. Thank you so much for all of the support you've given me by reading & reviewing.

TurNArounD, Thanks for reading & reviewing. I hope you like the idea of one Chris now. But you can tell from this chapter that he's still in there somewhere.

vampiress66613, Thanks for reading & reviewing.

Vanilla Chicky, Thanks for reading & reviewing—all at once;) That was really a hard thing to do, so thank you so much—and I hope you liked the way I ended it.

Vicki, Well I'm glad that I could transport you like that:) Thanks for reading & reviewing.

Whispered Fears, Wow, thanks for the awesome review. I hope you still liked it.

xLuckiLuVx, If you're still reading, thanks for reviewing.

Zeria, I hope I've cleared things up for you a bit now—if not—email me. Since this is the last chapter, I don't have to worry about giving away the plot or anything. Thanks for reading & reviewing.


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